Kings Royal

Last updated
Kings Royal
Kings Royal logo.jpg
EldoraSpeedway track map.png
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Venue Eldora Speedway
Location Allen Township, Darke County, Ohio, United States
First race1984 (1984)
Distance20 mi (32 km)
Laps40
Previous namesMopar Kings Royal (1999)
Kings Royal presented by Crown Royal (2006)
Most wins (driver) Steve Kinser (7)
Circuit information
SurfaceDirt
Length0.5 mi (0.80 km)
Turns4

The Kings Royal is a major sprint car racing event held annually at Eldora Speedway near New Weston, Ohio, United States. Regarded as one of the world's most prestigious sprint car races, it awarded a $175,000 USD winner's prize since 2019.

Contents

History

Kings Royal pre-race in 1987 1987 Kings Royal preparations.jpg
Kings Royal pre-race in 1987

First run in 1984, [1] the Kings Royal saw Eldora Speedway promoter Earl Baltes offering $50,000 to the winner of a 40-lap event. Steve Kinser won the inaugural race, which sees the winner seated on a throne in victory lane while adorned with a crown and robe and carrying a scepter. [2] [3] Kinser leads all drivers with seven Kings Royal victories. [4]

The event is considered to be one of the most prestigious sprint car events held worldwide, [3] and is considered to be a "Crown Jewel" event. [5] From its inaugural running through 2018, there was a standard $50,000 winner's purse; [6] the 2019 running saw a boost to $175,000 for the winner's prize. [7] [8] The Kings Royal is Eldora's largest event each season, drawing over 30,000 spectators. [9]

In 2014, Kerry Madsen became the first Australian to win the Kings Royal. [3] Beginning in 2016, a preliminary full feature, the "Joker's Wild", was held on the Thursday before the Saturday Kings Royal; on the Friday of race week an additional event, "The Knight Before the Kings Royal", is held. [10] No driver won back-to-back Kings Royals for the first 33 years of the event, [11] until Donny Schatz did so in 2017; in 2018 Schatz won again to become the first driver to win three Kings Royals in a row. [12]

The event lost its annual status after the 2020 event was canceled because of the global pandemic. In 2021, the Kings Royal was run as a double feature. The night before the Thursday feature was the Joker's Wild event. The Thursday event was the first feature (new ticket). The Friday event was the Knight Before event. The Saturday event was the second feature. [13] Because of weather issues, the two features were run on the same Saturday, with the Thursday feature running in the afternoon and the Saturday feature running in the evening. The Knight Before was run on Sunday.

The 2021 event saw the start of a nine-year sanctioning agreement with World Racing Group, promoters of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. [13]

For 2022, the event will retain its four-day format. The calendar calls for the Joker's Wild on Wednesday, Historical Big One on Thursday, Knight Before on Friday, and the 39th Kings Royal on Saturday. [14]

Winners

YearDriverCar no.OwnerReference
1984 Steve Kinser 11Karl Kinser [2]
1985 Doug Wolfgang 29Bob Weikert [2]
1986 Don Kreitz Jr. 69Don Kreitz, Jr. [2]
1987 Jac Haudenschild 40Gary Stanton [2]
1988 Steve Kinser 11Karl Kinser [2]
1989 Bobby Davis Jr. 10Casey Luna [2]
1990 Doug Wolfgang 8Williams Bros. [2]
1991 Steve Kinser 11Karl Kinser [2]
1992 Sammy Swindell 1Sammy Swindell [2]
1993 Dave Blaney 10Casey Luna [2]
1994 Jac Haudenschild 22Jack Elden [2]
1995 Dave Blaney 10Casey Luna [2]
1996 Johnny Herrera 47Gil Sonner [2]
1997 Steve Kinser 11Steve Kinser [2]
1998 Jac Haudenschild 22Jack Elden [2]
1999 Sammy Swindell 1Sammy Swindell [2]
2000 Dale Blaney 93Dave Blaney [2]
2001 Mark Kinser 5mKarl Kinser [2]
2002 Joey Saldana 17Joe Saldana [2]
2003 Steve Kinser 11Steve Kinser [2]
2004 Jason Sides 7sSides Motorsports [2]
2005 Steve Kinser 11Steve Kinser [2]
2006 Joey Saldana 9 Kasey Kahne Racing [2]
2007 Donny Schatz 15Schatz Motorsports [2]
2008 Daryn Pittman 21Titan Racing [2]
2009 Donny Schatz 15Tony Stewart Racing [15]
2010 Steve Kinser 11Tony Stewart Racing [16]
2011 Tyler Walker 17Jesse Keen [1]
2012 Sammy Swindell 1Big Game Motorsports [17]
2013 Brad Sweet 49 Kasey Kahne Racing [18]
2014 Kerry Madsen 29Keneric Racing [3]
2015 Shane Stewart 2 Larson Marks Racing [19]
2016 Donny Schatz 15Tony Stewart Racing [12]
2017 Donny Schatz 15Tony Stewart Racing [12]
2018 Donny Schatz 15Tony Stewart Racing [12]
2019 Brad Sweet 49 Kasey Kahne Racing [8]
2021 Tyler Courtney Afternoon7BCClauson-Marshall Racing [20]
Kyle Larson Night57Silva Racing [21]
2022 Brent Marks 19Murray-Marks Motorsports [22]
2023 Donny Schatz 15Tony Stewart Racing
2024 David Gravel 2Big Game Motorsports [23]

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References

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