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The Million vs. Kings Royal: What's bigger, format differences
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I posed the question on Twitter over the weekend, about what is the more significant race this week at Eldora, the Million or the Kings Royal?
"I nearly answered," said Brad Sweet, "I had everything typed out, but I didn't want to get in trouble. "So, look, the Million could be a once in a lifetime race. We don't know if we will ever get to do this again and it could be a life-changing race, not a career-changer, but a life-changer.
"We would have to race three-to-five years to possibly make what we could make on Thursday night. That's a big deal. The Kings Royal, that's a huge honor to win that race, but it's something we know we get to chase every year. It means a lot, but this week, this year, it has to be racing for a million dollars, right?"
"Was that your tweet I saw," said Ricky Stenhouse, during a conversation before the Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend.
Yep.
"Winning that race would be huge for our race team," said Stenhouse, who co-owns the team driven by Sheldon Haudenschild. "Luckily, we have one of the best partners in the sport with Lauren (Albano) and NOS Energy Drink. If we don't win, it's not going to break our budget, but it would be a huge boost to our season. Sheldon really wants an historic win like his dad got. It's something our guys really want and have worked towards.
"But as a car owner, I'd really have to say The Million, I think the drivers would really want a million but man, the history of the King’s Royal is unmatched too. I mean, they do such a good job with the pageantry and how it's stood the test of time. Like, the Knoxville Nationals is huge, but you get a check and you get a trophy.
"The whole layout of Kings Royal is super cool, one of a kind, but if I had to pick or choose, I'd pick the million as a car owner. I know Sheldon would probably take the million even if I know he wants the Kings Royal too."
Logan Schuchart has said all week that he’s treating this week, both races, the same as any other race but there is a huge caveat in the form of the check being written on Sunday.
"I’m a race car driver," Schuchart said. "The more money the better. This is life changing money. The Kings Royal is a crown jewel, but when you pay a million dollars, that’s a crown jewel too. No one in my family has won the Royal and I want to do that.
"It’s crazy awesome to me that there’s a race before the Kings Royal that even has me in position of having to wonder which one is bigger and that’s a huge thing for the growth of Sprint Car racing."
For his part, David Gravel simply says, why not both?
"It’s tough to say," Gravel said. "Donnie Moran won the first Late Model Million. He’s been called The Million Dollar Man ever since. But I think they’re equally important. Winning the Knoxville Nationals, the High Bank Nationals, these are huge wins and now this year, we get a Million Dollar and a Kings Royal.
"There was the Historical Big One, and then that has gone away and come back, but there might not be another Million. I want them both equally though. A million dollars is a life-changer but the Kings Royal is one everyone wants to win.
"Yeah, I want them both."
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“For a million dollars, they’ll find a way to pass.”
-Tony Stewart
It’s funny, for a race that will literally pay a million dollars over the next two nights, there wasn’t much consideration about the format from those who are actually participating in the event.
The short version is that drivers will be split into two groups on Wednesday and both will run full shows consisting of qualifications, heats, B features and a A Main. The 'Every Lap Matter' process will have drivers earning points every time they hit the track, with the heats featuring inverts, the points eventually setting the field for Thursday.
On Thursday, the top three finishers from each heat will earn spots in the main event. Fourth through sixth in each heat will go to the B Feature and seventh on back to a C Feature. Two drivers advance from the B. For the B, the top two drivers in 'Every Lap Matters' points who did not advance through the heat will start on the front row. The B will send six to the main event.
That's the short version, not that most anyone cared to look at the format before arriving, including four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet.
"I'll be honest that I haven't even looked at the format," Sweet said. "And really, I believe that regardless of the format, the best car and driver is going to win. When there is a million-dollar carrot, we'll jump as high as we have to do to get it."
David Gravel hadn't looked at either.
"I just hope they get the track slick and we'll find our way to the front," Gravel said. "If it gets wet and fast, that's where we get at risk of ending up with a winner that probably didn't have to earn it the way most of us would want to have it play out."
Count Logan Schuchart as a driver who hadn't looked either.
"I figured it would be something like Kings Royal, the Historical Big One, those kinds of races," said the Shark Racing veteran. "Whatever the format, I just hit the track with the same mindset, move forward. The best guys are going to make their way to the front.
"We're going to try to be one of those guys."
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