Dover International Speedway to host COVID-19 vaccinations

As part of its commitment to the community during this unprecedented time, Dover International Speedway will host walk-up COVID-19 vaccination events on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16 during its NASCAR tripleheader weekend, track officials announced today.

A walk-up tent will be set up near the Monster Monument at Victory Plaza, presented by Ally for anyone 18 and older to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Scheduled hours for the vaccine distribution are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a maximum of 500 per day offered. No reservations/appointments will be taken. Parking at Dover International Speedway is free on Saturday and $10 on Sunday.

While other NASCAR facilities have hosted vaccine centers, Dover is believed to be the first NASCAR track to host a vaccination event during race weekend.

Heading into this weekend, more than 77,000 people have been vaccinated at Dover International Speedway since the weekend vaccination efforts began in late February. The last vaccination event at the Speedway was held on Saturday, May 1.

Vaccination event personnel will include staff from the following agencies: Delaware Division of Public Health, Delaware Medical Reserve Corps and the Delaware National Guard.

“We certainly appreciate all the effort and work that our agency friends put into these events,” said Jim Hosfelt, Dover International Speedway’s assistant vice president for public safety and track operations. “Throughout the pandemic we’ve seen this community come together to help each other and the Speedway is proud to be able to assist with those events.”

In addition to the vaccination events, Dover International Speedway has hosted monthly Delaware Food Bank distribution events since March 2020, with more than 1 million pounds of food distributed to more than 18,000 families in need. The Monster Mile also hosted a drive-thru ceremony for more than 400 graduates from Dover High School in May 2020, who all enjoyed a lap around the world’s fastest one-mile concrete oval with their families before receiving their diplomas.

Dover International Speedway’s upcoming NASCAR tripleheader weekend from May 14-16 includes the “Drydene 400” NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, May 16. After the event weekend is concluded and the facility is cleared of race-related items, the Speedway may be used again for more vaccination efforts in the future, track officials said.

Dover International Speedway, in consultation with state public health officials, is permitted to host fans in its grandstands for its May 14-16 NASCAR race weekend after the track’s health and safety protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic were approved.

Special fan procedures will include social distancing in grandstands and concession lines, the use of digital tickets for all grandstand seats, the required wearing of masks, enhanced cleaning in high-traffic areas, added hand sanitizer stations and infield access prohibited except for race teams, track personnel and select media.

The “Drydene 400” NASCAR Cup Series race is the 103rd Cup Series race at Dover, one of only 10 tracks in the country to host 100 or more Cup Series events. The “Drydene 400” is sold out but tickets can still be purchased for the “General Tire 125” ARCA Menards Series East race on Friday, May 14 and the “Drydene 200” NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race on Saturday, May 15.