ROSSBURG, OH: It’s been a long journey from bologna sandwiches and sleeping in the trailer to Sprint Car success for Logan Schuchart.

The early years were tough. There were times during Schuchart’s rookie season with the World of Outlaws that he was unsure he was going to make it. Then again, he, along with his grandfather Bobby Allen, weren’t going to give up on the dream.

Shark Racing stayed the course and became a player against the best Sprint Car drivers in the world. It was satisfying, but Schuchart laid awake at night thinking about getting that elusive crown-jewel victory in the form of a Kings Royal or Knoxville Nationals title.

Those two events will have to wait, but Schuchart’s quest to reach Sprint Car immortality has been reached. On Thursday night in front of a huge crowd at Eldora Speedway, the Hanover, Pa., native cashed the biggest paycheck in the sport’s history, when he dominated the field to capture the coveted Eldora Million.

Brent Smith Photography

“I think it’s huge for our team and my confidence to be able to win something like this,” Schuchart said. “I’ve laid awake at night wondering what if I never win one of these races and finish my career that way. It would haunt me the rest of my life.

“So just to be able to put my name, let alone the money that was on the line tonight, it just makes me feel like … I don’t have the words in my vocabulary to say how I feel right now. I just want to go after more. I plan to be here a long time, and my team does, too, and I just want to continue chasing these big races.”

No doubt those nights came soon after the 2019 season. That was the year Schuchart placed second in both the Kings Royal and a month later in the Nationals at Knoxville.

In both races, Schuchart was forced to make a charge from the cheap seats. He started 15th in the Eldora extravaganza before storming to the lead, only to lose it on a late restart. At Knoxville, he was the show, charging from 22nd to a runner-up finish.

Passing cars at these venues has never been a problem. You could say that Schuchart is a master at this craft. But on Thursday night at Eldora, he didn’t have to worry about chasing down the competition.

Schuchart was the rabbit, and there were no tortoises in sight. He started on the pole and aside from being challenged on a restart or two, the familiar No. 1S was in charge at the front of the field.

For most of the race, Schuchart held a 1.5-second lead. He pushed it to 2.225 seconds by Lap 40 and continued to mow down lapped traffic with ease. Even as the laps winded down, he never wavered or got nervous.

“I made sure I didn’t look at the scoreboard,” Schuchart said. “I didn’t want to know how many laps were left, and it wasn’t until the white flag that I really knew that there’s only one lap to go. So, I tried to just run smooth consistent laps, and I knew where I wanted to run on the racetrack. I knew if I hit my marks, it was going to be hard for anybody to run me down and pass me, especially in traffic.

“Crossing that finish line, I don’t know, man, the emotions started rolling right away. I almost thought about taking an extra lap to get myself together, but I knew I had to get to the scales. It all came back out when I saw my family, friends, sponsors, and all my supporters in Victory Lane. It’s just an amazing feeling that I have right now.”

The Kings Royal has always had special meaning to Schuchart. It’s not only a race that has eluded the 30-year-old driver, it’s that no one in his family has ever parked it on the big stage in the event.

His grandfather, Bobby Allen, won the 1990 Knoxville Nationals. Joey Allen and Bobby teamed up to win the Williams Grove Nationals. So, if Schuchart won the Kings Royal, he would have a leg up at the dinner table.

This isn’t the Kings Royal, but it’s a pretty good substitute. Banking $1,002,023 for the team and 50 percent in his personal account … yeah, it’s an accomplishment that has a tendency to stick with you a bit.

“I can’t even fathom what that type of money looks like, and I don’t think I will until I see it in my bank account,” Schuchart said. “I will look at the teller, and be like, ‘Are you sure that is right?’ No, it’s just wild that a Sprint Car race on dirt can pay a million dollars to win.

“It’s just amazing that Eldora Speedway, Tony Stewart and his crew, all the fans that come out and support this event, the Kings Royal, the Historical Big One, streaming, everything that makes this possible … a big thank you from the bottom of my heart to be able to have the chance at this.”

The Eldora Million might be a one-and-done event with Schuchart being the lone recipient of such a Sprint Car prize. That’s yet to be determined. But it won’t be his last opportunity to secure a big-event win.

And it’s not just about the money. Now that he has a crown-jewel event win, Schuchart hopes the floodgates open, and he can add to the family legacy while cementing his name among the best in the sport’s history.

“The stats seem to go that way when you look at certain drivers,” Schuchart said. “I hope it works out that way for me. I want to win every major event. I want to be an Outlaw champion. I want to be the best I can be.

“So, I’m going to continue to work hard. Tonight, we just won a million dollars, and I want to go out and win tomorrow, because I want to be the best I can be as far as a World of Outlaws championship goes, and I want to go after $175,000 Saturday.”