Eldora Speedway has hosted the World 100 every year since its inception on the weekend following Labor Day, typically in mid-September. The event's multi-day structure evolved over decades into a three-day qualifying format. Thursday and Friday sessions feature hot laps, heat races, and feature events, with drivers accumulating points that determine their seeding for Saturday's heat races. Final starting positions in the World 100 feature are set by heat race results, with a random draw inverting a portion of the qualifying field.
The qualifying structure is designed to reward consistency across all three days. Points from Thursday and Friday performances seed drivers into Saturday heat races, and heat race results directly determine starting positions in the feature. A random inversion of a selected number of qualifiers adds an element of unpredictability. This system produced a notable milestone in 2017 when Hudson O'Neal — son of legendary dirt late model driver Don O'Neal — became the youngest driver ever to start the World 100 from the pole position at just 17 years old.
The 2018 running faced significant adversity when both Friday and Saturday sessions were rained out, forcing the event to be rescheduled to Columbus Day weekend in October. Thursday's results were carried over, and Friday's schedule was run the morning of the World 100 itself, turning the day into a double-header. Tim McCreadie won that marathon edition, becoming the first driver from New York state to claim the World 100 trophy.
The 2020 event was fundamentally altered by the coronavirus pandemic. Ohio regulations prohibited spectators at Eldora for the entire season, and the World 100 was rebranded the Intercontinental Classic, shortened to 67 laps, and broadcast as a pay-per-view event for a flat $50,000 purse — reduced from the prior year's standard. Jonathan Davenport won the closed-doors edition.
The 2021 edition was unusual in that two World 100 races were held to make up for the 2020 cancellation of the standard format. Johnathan Davenport won the 50th edition, while Brandon Overton won the 51st.
Several drivers have defined the World 100's history through repeated victories. Billy Moyer of Batesville, Arkansas won the event six times across three decades (1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2010). Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio claimed four victories (1989, 1992, 1996, 1997). Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tennessee won three times across different eras (1988, 1990, 2001, 2014). Jeff Purvis won in 1983, 1984, and 1986.
Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Georgia became the dominant force of the modern era, winning the World 100 in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 (Intercontinental Classic), 2021 (50th edition), and 2022 — six wins in eight years. Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Illinois won in 2016 and 2024. Hudson O'Neal won in 2023, and Ricky Thornton Jr. of Indianola, Iowa claimed the 2025 edition.
The earliest winners represented the broader Midwest dirt racing community: Bruce Gould of Milford, Ohio took the inaugural 1971 win, followed by Verlin Eaker (1972), Floyd Gilbert (1973), Ed Sanger (1974), and Joe Merryfield (1975). Larry Moore of Dayton, Ohio won three times in the early 1980s (1979, 1981, 1985).
The World 100 occupies a singular position in dirt late model racing, representing the sport's most coveted single-race prize. Its longevity — running continuously since 1971 with only format modifications during the pandemic — and its steadily rising purse have reinforced Eldora Speedway's status as the spiritual home of dirt late model competition. The globe trophies awarded to winners are among the most recognized symbols in American short-track racing, and the event draws top competitors from across the country each September.