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2013 Mudsummer Classic

The 2013 Mudsummer Classic (formally the CarCash Mudsummer Classic presented by CNBC Prime's The Profit) was a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series held on July 24, 2013, at Eldora Speedway in New Weston, Ohio. The race was the first dirt track race held by a NASCAR national touring series (Cup, Xfinity, Trucks) since 1970. Contested over 153 laps, the race was the tenth of the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Ken Schrader of self-owned Ken Schrader Racing won the pole position, and became the oldest pole sitter in NASCAR history at 58 years of age. Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing won the race, while Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman finished second and third, respectively.

The qualifying procedure was unique for the race; drivers' qualifying times set the starting grids for five heat races to determine the feature race's starting lineup, while the top five of a last chance qualifier (LCQ) advance to the feature. Schrader, Jared Landers, Timothy Peters, Kenny Wallace and Jeb Burton won the heat races, while Brennan Newberry won the LCQ. The feature's format was also distinctive compared to other NASCAR events, as it was divided into three segments, lasting 60, 50 and 43 laps. In the feature, Larson took the lead from Peters on lap 39, and later battled with Dillon for the win, and Dillon claimed the victory after he retained the lead on the green–white–checkered finish for his fifth career Truck Series win.

The last race run on dirt in a NASCAR national touring series occurred on September 30, 1970, at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh in a Grand National Series race, which was won by Richard Petty. Afterwards, NASCAR sanctioned the Busch All-Star Tour, a dirt late model series, which lasted from 1985 to 2002.

Eldora Speedway, which opened in 1954, is a 0.5-mile (0.80-kilometre) oval with turns at a 24 degree banking, while the straightaways are 8 degrees. The track's grandstands can fit 17,782 spectators, and the hillside seating can fit an unlimited number of fans.

On October 15, 2012, track owner Tony Stewart and Austin Dillon held a private test at the track, driving trucks. On November 28, NASCAR announced that Eldora Speedway would be on the schedule as the first of two Wednesday Truck races, along with the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway for 2013. Although the track does not have any SAFER barriers, Tom Gideon, NASCAR Director of Safety, stated the track meets NASCAR regulations. By January 29, 2013, the 17,782 grandstand seats had been sold out, with purchasers from 48 states and six countries.

"We've been looking at getting the trucks back to short tracks – to the roots of racing including the dirt – and we’re excited to announce our 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race at Eldora Speedway in July. The door-to-door racing that our truck series is known for plus Eldora's popularity and [Tony Stewart]'s dedication to putting on great shows for the fans is a perfect fit. We'll have a maximum starting field of 30 trucks at Eldora. More details on the race format are still being developed."

— Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations

Various non-Truck regulars entered the race for reasons such as to help a team in the owners' championship, with teams hiring drivers who are familiar with dirt racing to assist them in the championship. Examples include dirt track specialists Scott Bloomquist, who won The Dream and the World 100 at the track six times and three times, respectively; Tracy Hines, who had 85 career wins, including six at Eldora, and 52 starts in the Truck Series; Jared Landers, who won 100 features in his career; J. R. Heffner, who won the big-block modified championship at Lebanon Valley Speedway twice; Jeff Babcock, who won an American Late Model Series race at the track during 2013; and Joe Cobb, a dirt modified racer and the father of Truck Series regular Jennifer Jo Cobb. Cup Series drivers Dave Blaney, Ken Schrader and Ryan Newman, along with Nationwide Series drivers Austin Dillon, Kenny Wallace and Kyle Larson also ran in the event. Babcock, Blaney, Bloomquist, Hines, Schrader and Wallace had all won races at Eldora in various disciplines. Jason Bowles was later announced as the driver of the No. 5 for Wauters Motorsports, while Chris Jones was originally listed as the driver of the No. 93 for RSS Racing, but eventually withdrew.

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