Eldora Speedway | 13929
St Route 118 | New Weston | OH | 45348
For immediate news release e-mail: mail@eldoraspeedway.com
BALTES
TRIBUTE NOW A FIXTURE
ROSSBURG, OH (August 24) – When Earl
Baltes decided to tear up some of his hallowed crop land in
1954 to build Eldora Speedway, he had no auto racing background.
His promotional aptitude at that time was limited to playing
and promoting big band music. Baltes’ success in that
business was generated from his uncanny ability to communicate
and entertain people – a trait that he quickly transferred
to his auto racing endeavor.
It worked and worked well. Baltes quickly
turned that crop land into a National legend and Eldora Speedway
and Earl Baltes, along with his wife Berneice became household
names within the auto racing fraternity.
When two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
Tony Stewart purchased Eldora Speedway from Baltes in 2004,
he admitted his respect for Earl and vowed to keep the Baltes
name synonymous with Eldora. To that extent, last year Stewart
unveiled a life-like bronzed statue of Earl and Berneice and
created The Baltes Classic as a tribute to the creators of
the legend of Eldora.
That tribute has found a home on the annual
slate of events, with this year’s running slated for
Sunday, September 6.
In competition that night will be the Sunoco
sponsored American Late Model Series (ALMS), along with the
UMP (United Midwestern Promoters) Modifieds and Eldora Stock
Cars. For the Late Models, it will serve as their final tune-up
before the famed World 100 later that week.
