Even though Dover Motor Speedway hosts one less NASCAR race weekend than it used to - the grounds are being used more than ever.
The Monster Mile has welcomed NASCAR every year since 1969, and twice a year from 1971 to 2020.
In 2021, the second race weekend moved to Nashville, but that hasn’t stopped the grounds at Dover Motor Speedway from being busy throughout the year.
The Woodlands of Dover hosted the Firefly Music Festival from 2012 through 2022. There was no Firefly in 2020 and this year, no real word on its future, although the band Phish is planning its own festival there next year.
"Firefly was our first kind of introduction to reimagining the property, and it's kind of evolved ever since then, right? So, we take what we learn from them, from other venues that we travel to, the family of tracks that's owned by our company now includes venues all over the country. So, we get out a lot, and we're always attending different events and trying to steal ideas and bring them back to the fans here in Delaware," said Gary Camp, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Dover Motor Speedway.
The holiday lights festival, the Gift of Lights, returns this holiday season and Camp promises it will be bigger with more lights and a longer course.
And Camp notes there are other events people might not see on weekends.
"There's always something going on on the property most weekends,” said Camp. “There's car clubs, there was a big charity event where fans could come out and drive the track for our Speedway Children's Charity fundraiser, there's just lots of things that are happening out here. And there's a focus with our team here to try to use the property even more. So, we want to make sure that we're taking full advantage of this 800 acre property."
Of course, Dover will also host a NASCAR weekend next April 26th through the 28th.