ROSSBURG, Ohio — If Sunday night’s The Baltes Classic offers any indication, competitors for the 42nd annual World 100 this weekend at Eldora Speedway should be worried about Billy Moyer.
Moyer, a former winner of the classic dirt-late-model event created by Earl Baltes more than four decades ago, dominated Sunday night’s Baltes Classic, winning his heat and leading all 25 laps of the event.
Moyer worked his way cautiously through the lapped cars, something uncharacteristic of the Arkansas driver.
“I was trying to get out of here in one piece,” said Moyer. “You know next weekend is when the big story is. I just wanted to make sure that I did everything right without scruffing stuff up. We have to freshen up the body a little bit, but we don’t have to do no framework.”
Moyer is a five-time winner of the World 100, his last victory coming in 2000. He has more victories than anyone else in the history of the event.
“I sure would like to get it one more time,” said Moyer. “It would mean everything to me — probably as much as the first one. I would just like to get one more as I am just about ready to hang my hat up, help my son race and sell some of these race cars.”
Matt Miller, the night’s quickest qualifier, finished second, with Aaron Scott, Greg Johnson and Chad Ruhlman filling the top five.
The finish:
Billy Moyer, Matt Miller, Aaron Scott, Greg Johnson, Chad Ruhlman, Jerry Rice, Ronny Hollingsworth, Rusty Schlenk, Chris Ross, Kris Patterson, Robbie Hensley, Casey Noonan, Ronnie Perrine, Jr., Rick DeLong, Tyler Boggs, Brian Ruhlman, Jon Jenry, Ted Loomis, Kyle Harper, Jerry Bowersock, Scott Orr, Rusty Suever, Curtis Roberts, Josh Williams.