"The Monster Mile" | |
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Location | 1131 North Dupont Highway, Dover, Delaware, 19901, U.S. |
Time zone | UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST) |
Coordinates | 39°11′22.56″N75°31′49.12″W / 39.1896000°N 75.5303111°W |
Capacity | 58,500 [1] |
Owner | Speedway Motorsports (November 2021–present) Dover Motorsports (July 1969–October 2021) |
Operator | Speedway Motorsports (November 2021–present) |
Broke ground | 1966 [2] |
Opened | 6 July 1969 [2] |
Architect | Melvin Joseph [3] |
Former names | Dover Downs International Speedway [2] (1969–2002) Dover International Speedway (2002–2021) |
Major events | Current: NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 (1969–present) Dover 400 (1971–2020) NASCAR Xfinity Series BetRivers 200 (1982–present) Drydene 200 (1986–2020) ARCA Menards Series East General Tire 125 (1998, 2001–2002, 2004–present) Future: ARCA Menards Series (2024) Former: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series KDI Office Technology 200 (2000–2020) Indy Racing League (1998–1999) USAC Championship Car (1969) |
Oval (1969–present) | |
Surface | 1969–1994: Asphalt 1995–present: Concrete |
Length | 1.03 miles (1.66 km) |
Turns | 4 |
Banking | Turns: 24° Straights: 9° [4] |
Race lap record | 19.622 seconds (183.468 mph (295.263 km/h)) ( Greg Ray, Dallara IR-7, 1998, IRL) |
Dover Motor Speedway (formerly Dover Downs International Speedway and later Dover International Speedway) is a race track in Dover, Delaware. The track has hosted at least one NASCAR Cup Series race each year since 1969, including two per year from 1971 to 2020. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC [5] and the Indy Racing League. The track features one layout, a 1.03 mi (1.66 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.
The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later, in 2001, the track had 135,000 seats, the largest sports venue in the mid-Atlantic region. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover," which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. [6] On Nov. 8, 2021, it was announced that Dover Motorsports Inc. was purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc.
In 1966, Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc. [3] began construction on the speedway, which was specialized for horse racing and auto racing. [2] The race track was completed three years later, [2] and would have its first race on July 6, 1969. [7] The inaugural race, the Mason-Dixon 300, was won by Richard Petty. [7]
During the 1971 racing season, the speedway removed all the events not sanctioned by NASCAR to help keep focus on the two NASCAR Winston Cup Series races, which were 500 miles each. [7] Eleven years later, the speedway added a NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series (now Xfinity Series) event, the Sportsman 200. [7] Starting in 1986, the speedway added [2] grandstand. [7] seats each year until 2001. [7] [8] A second Xfinity Series race was also added to the speedway's schedule during the 1986 season. [7]
Eight years later, Delaware General Assembly passed legislation to allow slot machines at pari-mutuel horse racing venues. [7] In 1995, the speedway replaced its asphalt surface with concrete, making it the second NASCAR Cup Series track after Bristol Motor Speedway to have a full concrete surface. [7] During the same year, Dover Downs slots opened on December 29. [7] Two years later, the speedway changed the race distances of its NASCAR Cup Series races to 400 miles, beginning with the 1997 fall race. [7] In 1998, the speedway added an Indy Racing League event to the schedule, [9] but the race was removed after the 1999 season. [10] During the 2000 racing season, the speedway added a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. [7] Kurt Busch won the inaugural Truck race from the pole position. [7]
On September 23, 2001, the Cup Series returned to racing at Dover after the September 11 attacks for the MBNA Cal Ripken Jr. 400, in which Dale Earnhardt Jr. received the checkered and American flag at the same time.
After the gaming side of Dover Downs separated, Dover Motorsports, Inc. was created in 2002 to operate the speedway, now named Dover International Speedway. [7] Two years later, the speedway announced the completion of the Monster Bridge, which is a glass-enclosed structure that has 56 seats near the entrance to Turn 3, and its fall NASCAR Cup Series race became the second race in the newly formed, NASCAR Chase for the Championship. [7]
On May 26, 2006, the speedway announced a multi-year capital improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which would begin after the speedway's June NASCAR Cup Series race. [11] During the first stage of the improvement project in 2007, the speedway built a new 12-suite skybox complex and a new 2,100 square feet addition to the media center in the infield. [12] Other improvements included widened walkways behind three grandstands, renovated restrooms, more paved handicapped parking areas, expanded bus parking, as well as a sound system with improved audio quality for the grandstands. [12]
In 2008, the second stage of the "Monster Makeover" took place. During the stage, the Monster Monument, a 46-feet tall fiberglass structure, was built in the new Victory Plaza, the FanZone area was expanded, and an emergency services building was built. [13] One year later, the speedway continued the improvement project by replacing the front stretch pit wall to install a longer SAFER barrier wall that would make a wider and safer pit road, as well as an additional pit stall. [14] [15] On Dec. 30, 2011, the speedway announced an expansion of space per grandstand seat, reducing the track's number to 113,000 over the next two years. [16]
Shortly after the 2014 AAA 400, the speedway reduced its seat number to 95,500 by Christmas 2014 and 85,000 in 2016. The removal of the seats was completed by Christmas 2014. [17] [18] Also after the 2014 AAA 400, the speedway began work on a $2.9 million project to install a new catchfence that was ready for the 2015 season. The new catchfence was 21 feet (6.4 m) high, as opposed to the old catchfence, which was 15 feet (4.6 m) high. [19] In 2016, the speedway added 479 feet of SAFER barriers along the backstretch and Turn 3, and reduced the number of pit stalls available by increasing each stall by 2 feet (0.61 m). [20]
In 2019, the speedway built a new and expanded Cup Series garage, located between Turns 1 and 2. The project also paved the inner portion of the track between Turns 1 and 2 and replaced the guardrail in this area with a SAFER barrier. Work on this project, which cost $5.5 million, began in May 2019 and was completed on Sept. 20, 2019, ahead of the race weekend in October. [21] After the 2019 season, the speedway removed approximately 25,000 seats in the lower level between Turns 3 and 4, reducing the track's capacity to 58,500. [22]
Since 2012, the Firefly Music Festival has been held in The Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway, a 105-acre (42 ha) festival ground adjacent to the speedway. Firefly additionally utilizes some of the speedway's infrastructure for parking and camping. In recent years, the speedway’s infield has been used specifically for RV camping throughout the festival. The festival was not held in 2020 or 2023.
NASCAR moved one of Dover's race weekends in 2021 to Nashville Superspeedway, another track owned by Dover Motorsports. [23] On Nov. 8, 2021, Speedway Motorsports acquired track owner Dover Motorsports. As a result, Speedway Motorsports took over ownership of the track and it was renamed to Dover Motor Speedway. [24] As such, PRN replaced MRN for radio broadcasts at the speedway from 2023 onwards.
The speedway's mascot is called "Miles the Monster," which is a monster spawned from the track's nickname, "The Monster Mile." [25] The monster is featured on the winner's trophy, the track's tickets, memorabilia, website, and the 46-foot (14 m) Monster Monument. [25] [26] A previous nickname that the track had was "White Lightning," used in the initial years after the track surface changed from asphalt to concrete. [27]
Source: [28]
Record | Year | Date | Driver | Car Make | Time | Speed/Average Speed |
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NASCAR Cup Series | ||||||
Qualifying | 2019 | October 5 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 21.559 | 166.984 mph (268.735 km/h) |
Race (400 miles) | 2019 | October 6 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet | 2:56:49 | 135.734 mph (218.443 km/h) |
Race (500 miles) | 1990 | September 16 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 3:58:12 | 125.945 mph (202.689 km/h) |
NASCAR Xfinity Series | ||||||
Qualifying | 2016 | October 1 | Erik Jones | Toyota | 22.739 | 158.318 mph (254.788 km/h) |
Race | 2013 | September 28 | Joey Logano | Ford | 1:31:27 | 131.219 mph (211.177 km/h) |
NASCAR Truck Series | ||||||
Qualifying | 2019 | May 3 | Brett Moffitt | Chevrolet | 22.303 | 161.413 mph (259.769 km/h) |
Race | 2006 | June 2 | Mark Martin | Ford | 1:39:50 | 120.200 mph (193.443 km/h) |
ARCA Menards Series East | ||||||
Qualifying | 2009 | September 25 | Matt DiBenedetto | Toyota | 23.201 | 155.166 mph (249.715 km/h) |
Race | 2002 | September 20 | Matt Kobyluck | Chevrolet | 1:17:28 | 116.179 mph (186.972 km/h) |
Sourced by. [29] |
As of April 2023, the fastest official race lap records at Dover Motor Speedway (formerly Dover Downs International Speedway/Dover International Speedway) are listed as:
Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oval: 1.609 km (1969–present) | ||||
IRL | 0:19.622 [30] | Greg Ray | Dallara IR-7 | 1998 Pep Boys 400K |
NASCAR Cup | 0:22.203 [31] | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet Camaro | 2019 Gander RV 400 |
NASCAR Truck | 0:23.230 [32] | Brett Moffitt | Chevrolet Silverado | 2019 JEGS 200 |
NASCAR Xfinity | 0:23.423 [33] | Ryan Truex | Toyota Supra | 2023 A-GAME 200 |
Most Wins | 11 | Jimmie Johnson |
Most Top 5s | 24 | Mark Martin |
Most Top 10s | 33 | Mark Martin |
Most Poles | 6 | David Pearson |
Youngest Winner | 22 years 10 months 8 days | Chase Elliott |
Oldest Winner | 52 years, 4 months, 21 days | Harry Gant |
*from minimum 5 starts. [34]
Season | Date | Race Name | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||||
1969 [5] | August 24 | Delaware 200 | 57 | Art Pollard | Gerhardt | Plymouth | 200 | 200 (321.868) | 1:36:01 | 124.978 |
Season | Date | Race Name | No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | Engine | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) | Report | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||||||
1998 [35] | July 18 | Pep Boys 400K | 8 | Scott Sharp | Kelley Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 248 | 248 (399.117) | 2:29:49 | 99.318 | Report |
1999 [36] | August 1 | MBNA Mid-Atlantic 200 | 2 | Greg Ray | Team Menard | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 200 | 200 (321.868) | 1:45:02 | 114.258 | Report |
Speedway Motorsports, LLC is an American company that owns and manages auto racing facilities that host races sanctioned by NASCAR, NHRA, World of Outlaws and other racing series. The company was founded by Bruton Smith and has its headquarters at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Concord, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte. Speedway Motorsports owns nine racing facilities with a combined seating capacity of approximately 885,000. In addition to operating racetracks, Speedway Motorsports owns Performance Racing Network (PRN), U.S. Legend Cars International, and co-owns Motorsports Authentics.
The 2017 AAA 400 Drive for Autism was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on June 4, 2017, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 406 laps, extended from 400 laps due to overtime, on the 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 13th race of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
The 2018 AAA 400 Drive for Autism was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on May 6, 2018, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 400 laps on the 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 11th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
The 2018 Gander Outdoors 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 7, 2018 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 404 laps—extended from 400 laps due to an overtime finish, on the one-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 30th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, fourth race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 12.
The 2019 Gander RV 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on May 6, 2019, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 400 laps on the 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 11th race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The race was postponed from Sunday, May 5 to Monday, May 6 due to rain.
The 2019 Drydene 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on October 6, 2019 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 400 laps on the one-mile concrete speedway, it was the 30th race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, the fourth race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 12.
The 2021 Drydene 200 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on May 15, 2021. It was contested over 200 on the 1.366-mile (2.198 km) concrete oval. It was the tenth race of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Team Penske driver Austin Cindric, collected his third win of the season.
The 2018 JEGS 200 was the 5th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, May 4, 2018 in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) oval-shaped permanent racetrack. The race was extended from the scheduled 200 laps to 210 laps due to a late race caution including Noah Gragson, Johnny Sauter of GMS Racing would be able to hold off the field on the final restart to take the win, the 19th of his career and the 2nd of the season. To fill out the podium, Matt Crafton of ThorSport Racing and Justin Haley of GMS Racing would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
The first of the two 2020 Drydene 200s was the 20th stock car race of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and the 39th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, August 22, 2020 in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race was originally to be held on May 2, but was postponed to August 22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports would win the race in dominating fashion, winning the 12th race of his career in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the first of the season. To fill the podium, Austin Cindric of Team Penske and Ross Chastain of Kaulig Racing would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
The 2020 KDI Office Technology 200 was the 13th stock car race of the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season and the 21st iteration of the event. The race was originally to be held on May 1, 2020 but was postponed to August 21, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race was held in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Zane Smith of GMS Racing would win the race after pulling away on a late race restart, the second of his career and the second of the season. To fill the podium, Matt Crafton of ThorSport Racing and Brett Moffitt of GMS Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
The second race of the 2020 Drydene 200 doubleheader was the 21st stock car race of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 35th iteration of the event. The race was originally going to be held on August 22, 2020 but was delayed by a day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race was held on Sunday, August 23, 2020 in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing would come to dominate and win the race, the 8th NASCAR Xfinity Series win of his career and the 6th of the season. To fill out the podium, Ross Chastain of Kaulig Racing and Austin Cindric of Team Penske would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
The 2018 OneMain Financial 200 was the 10th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 37th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile oval-shaped permanent racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports would hold off his teammate Elliott Sadler in the closing laps to win his sixth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his first of the season. Allgaier would also win an extra $100,000 for winning a Dash 4 Cash event. To fill out the podium, Daniel Hemric of Richard Childress Racing would finish third.
The 2018 Bar Harbor 200 was the 29th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the third and final race in the Round of 12, and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, October 6, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would dominate the race to win his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his sixth of the season. To fill out the podium, Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste and Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.
The 2022 A-GAME 200 was the 10th stock car race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the 41st iteration of the event, and the fourth and final race of the Dash 4 Cash. The race was held on April 30, 2022, in Dover, Delaware at Dover Motor Speedway, a 1 mile permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race was contested over 200 laps. The final Dash 4 Cash in this race is consisted of Noah Gragson, Landon Cassill, A. J. Allmendinger, and Ryan Sieg, since they were the highest finishing Xfinity regulars after Talladega Superspeedway. At race's end, Josh Berry of JR Motorsports would take the win, after leading 55 laps. This was Berry's second career Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports and Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Noah Gragson would win the Dash 4 Cash, after finishing in front of Cassill, Allmendinger, and Sieg.
The 2022 General Tire 125 was the third stock car race of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series East season, and the 22nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, April 29, 2022, in Dover, Delaware at Dover Motor Speedway, a 1 mile permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race was contested over 125 laps. At race's end, Taylor Gray of David Gilliland Racing would win, after starting from the pole and leading the most laps. This was Gray's first career east series win, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Jesse Love and Conner Jones of Venturini Motorsports would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
The 2017 OneMain Financial 200 was the 11th stock car race of the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 36th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Kyle Larson, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, would dominate most of the race to win his eighth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his third and final win of the season. To fill out the podium, Ryan Blaney of Team Penske and Daniel Suárez of Joe Gibbs Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
The 2016 Ollie's Bargain Outlet 200 was the tenth stock car race of the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and the 35th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, May 14, 2016, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 120 laps to complete, with the first 80 laps being split into two 40-lap heats of 20 cars. Erik Jones, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would take the lead early, and dominate most of the race for his fourth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his second of the season. To fill out the podium, Bubba Wallace, driving for Roush Fenway Racing, and Alex Bowman, driving for JR Motorsports, would finish second and third, respectively.
The 2016 Jacob Companies 200 was the 5th stock car race of the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the 17th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, May 13, 2016, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Matt Crafton, driving for ThorSport Racing, held off Daniel Suárez in the final 28 laps for his 12th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Christopher Bell, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would finish in 3rd, respectively.
The 2023 Würth 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on May 1, 2023, at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 400 laps on the 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 11th race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. The race was postponed from Sunday, April 30 to Monday, May 1, due to rain. This is the first Dover race broadcast on Performance Racing Network on radio after Speedway Motorsports purchased the track before the 2022 season but still aired on rival International Speedway Corporation's Motor Racing Network.
The 2023 A-GAME 200 was the 10th stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 42nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Dover, Delaware at Dover Motor Speedway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Ryan Truex, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would put on a dominating performance, winning both stages and leading a race-high 124 laps, earning his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win. To fill out the podium, Josh Berry, driving for JR Motorsports, and Justin Allgaier, also driving for JR Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.