Friday night the world’s best dirt-late-model racers and thousands of fans will descend on the small rural area surrounding Rossburg, Ohio. 
Why, you might ask, would people from Southern California to New England, the coasts of Florida to the Pacific Northwest, make a trip to this seemingly sleepy, beautiful farm country settling in to a fall routine, awaiting the first hint of winter?
The answer is simple — the 37th running of the World 100 at famed Eldora Speedway, one of the most prestigious events in all of dirt-late-model racing.
Defending World 100 champion Earl Pearson, Jr. will lead the field of more than 200 expected entries on the assault of the one-half mile clay oval famous for on-track battles of epic proportions.
Driving for former NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte, Pearson would like nothing more than to add another of the unique and priceless World 100 Globe trophies to his collection.
“Winning the World 100 was the biggest win of my career,” Pearson stated. “The crowd, the 200 car count and the tradition that Eldora has over all the years makes the World 100 the Daytona 500 on dirt.
“It took about five years before I ever made a feature event at Eldora,” Pearson continued. “But now I feel I have a good chance to win every time I go there. I really like racing there, and everyone on the staff at Eldora are true professionals and make it fun to compete at their events every time we go there.”
As has been the case of a number of winners of not only the World 100 but those victorious in any of the Eldora Speedway marquee events, winning the 2006 race was a turning point in Pearson’s career.
“Winning the World opened several new doors for me. Right after winning the World 100, Bobby Labonte started talking serious to me about driving for his new dirt-late-model team. To get a chance to partner with Bobby and his resources has been a great opportunity for me.”

WORLD 100 FAST FACTS
Friday, Sept. 7
Time Trials
Non-Qualifiers Race
Saturday, Sept. 8
6 Heats
2 B Mains
World 100
28 cars
$40,000 to win
$1,600-to-start
$1,000 bonus to fast qualifier

“Last year when Earl won, he drove for Carlton and Kemp Lamm,” Labonte said. “It was a great win for them so hopefully as Earl’s new car owner we can put him back in victory lane again in the World 100.”
The entry list for the 2007 race features THE names in dirt-late-model racing. In addition to Pearson, former winners Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran and Billy Moyer are scheduled to compete.
Richard Childress Racing development driver Tim McCreadie and rising star Josh Richards have filed their entries.
By the time the transporters and trailers are parked and the equipment unloaded, there will be a star-studded, stellar field on hand to battle for the $40,000 World 100 winner’s check.