Discover Delmarva: Dover Motor Speedway
DOVER, De- Right off Route 1 in the state Capital lies Dover Motor Speedway, better known as “The Monster Mile.” With the NASCAR Cup Series returning for a 56th consecutive year, this has become a yearly tradition for many people across Delmarva. Michael Lewis, the Manager of Communications at Dover Motor Speedway, showed us around the facility and told us how the track earned its iconic name, “We’re known as the Monster Mile and the world’s fastest 1-mile oval. There is no other facility like this in the country. This highly banked 1-mile concrete oval has been challenging America’s best drivers for over five decades. Banking in our front stretch and our back stretch. Twenty-four degrees of banking in our turns. Drivers, when they talk about Dover, they compare it to driving on a roller coaster. There’s nowhere else where they feel the sensation of speed that they feel here at Dover Motor Speedway.”
We started our tour with “The Most Exciting Seats in Sports,” offering the most unique viewing experience in all of NASCAR, Lewis tells us, “If you’re lucky enough to be a visitor at the Monster Bridge. You’re experiencing something unique in the country. There’s nowhere else in NASCAR where you have seats that are physically over the entire racing surface. ” Walking through the bridge, you can imagine the thrill of watching the world’s best drivers going over 150 miles per hour beneath your feet. Some seats also feature signatures from previous race winners like Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, and many more. The seats are cool, but you know what would be cooler? Driving on the track itself, and we did just that-
Of course, we were not going NASCAR speed, but you don’t have a sense of how sharp these turns are until you drive them yourself. Lewis says, It’s a major part of the challenge the drivers face here. “You’re in a turn here more than you’re in a straight-away. So again, very physical toll you have to be on the wheel the whole time.”
I learned that very quickly, going around turns 3 and 4, keeping your speed up is a must! Racing past the finish line, I already had to prepare for the next turn in the blink of an eye. Just to put in perspective how steep the banking is on these turns, I decided to run up the track myself… This was the equivalent of going up a two-story building from the top to the bottom of the track. Lewis says even though they may not have the highest speeds on the track, the Cup Series drivers are put through a beating here for 400 laps. “They say they feel like they’re going faster here than any other track. Just because of the way the banking impacts the car and their bodies. Very physical race track, so very physical on their back, necks, and shoulders. They have to be in top physical condition to survive 400 miles here at the Monster Mile.”
Another important aspect for the drivers is their eyes in the sky. Spotters take refuge on one of the highest points in the entire city of Dover to provide a crucial set of eyes. “The spotters up here have to tell him when he is clear to make a pass. So he’s high, or clear low, or the driver in front of him is the leader, go get him. Or the car he’s a lap down, don’t worry about him, he’ll move once you get right behind him.” With the work of spotters, the pit crew, and the drivers, only one lucky but deserving winner can take home one of the best trophies in the sport down in Victory Lane. “One of the first things they always bring up is I can’t wait to bring that Monster Trophy home. Or I can’t wait to try and earn that monster. It’s one of the more unique trophies in the sport. It’s something every driver has a goal of earning.”
Lewis says they’re excited to welcome everyone again this summer, July 18th to 20th, for the NASCAR Cup Series race weekend. The defending champion, Denny Hamlin, will be in the number eleven car while the active leader in wins, Kyle Busch, will be in the number eight car. The tracks fan zone will offer a true taste of a Delaware summer, with them bringing the beach to you and free concerts all weekend. You can find more information on the race weekend or planning your visit, check out their website.
