NASCAR: Overlooked offseason change comes to light

Dover International Speedway is no more following an offseason name change to the host of this Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

When NASCAR runs the 11th race on the 36-race 2022 Cup Series schedule, the DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne, this Sunday, May 1, it won’t be contested at Dover International Speedway.

It will be contested at Dover Motor Speedway.

The venue is the same, but the name has changed since the series most recently visited in mid-May of last year, marking the track’s second official name change.

Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI) completed their purchase of stocks in Dover Motorsports, Inc., which has operated the four-turn, 1.0-mile (1.609-kilometer) oval in Dover, Delaware, during the offseason at a price of $3.61 per share.

As a result, “Motor Speedway” replaced “International Speedway” in the Dover track’s official name.

While the purchase happened several months ago, the upcoming NASCAR race weekend at the track finally brings the change to the forefront.

This move placed the track’s name in line with other SMI tracks, including Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The nickname “The Monster Mile” will not change, of course.

Prior to this past offseason, the track’s name had been most recently changed in 2002. From when it opened in 1969 until then, it was known as Dover Downs International Speedway.

The 2021 season was the first season since 1970 during which the track hosted only a single Cup Series race as opposed to two, and it is again slated to host only one race this year.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman won last year’s race, and he led a historic top four sweep for Rick Hendrick’s team, with Kyle Larson in second place, Chase Elliott in third, and William Byron in fourth.

Tune in to Fox Sports 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 1 for the live broadcast of the DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne from Dover Motor Speedway. If you have yet to begin your free trial of FuboTV, don’t miss your chance to do so now!