Dover Motor Speedway assured NASCAR fans that there does not appear to be any significant damage to the racetrack after the threat of a nearby tornado. In the coming days, track employees plan to have a closer look to ensure no serious damage was done.
On Thursday night Eastern time, reports of a tornado nearby the 1.0-mile Delaware track swirled on the internet. Despite the scare, the track reports that no major damage was done to the NASCAR racing facility.
Dover Motor Speedway’s statement on tornado
Just before 9 p.m. Eastern time, FOX Weather reported a tornado moving through Dover, Delaware, posting a startling video of the storm rolling through the area. There was a lot of “storm-related damage” done in the area, FOX Weather reported.
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“TORNADO INCOMING 🌪️: Timelapse video shows a tornado moving over Dover, Delaware. Officials are reporting significant damage throughout parts of the city, including numerous downed trees, flooding and other storm-related damage,” FOX Weather wrote via X.
With the news of a tornado in Dover, Delaware, many within the NASCAR community feared that the natural disaster could roll through and cause damage to “The Monster Mile,” the 1.0-mile banked oval that is a yearly stop for the Cup Series.
Dover Motor Speedway’s social media team calmed the concerns as they said the track appears to be intact. The track hopes, too, that no one in the Dover community was seriously affected by the storm.
“At this time, there appears to be no major damage at Dover Motor Speedway following reports of a nearby tornado. We’re hopeful that everyone in our community is safe and that no one was injured. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and plan to conduct a more thorough survey of the facility in the coming days,” Dover Motor Speedway wrote.
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Earlier this year, Dover was the site for the NASCAR All-Star Race, the first time the track ever held the event. The 350-lap exhibition race was won by Denny Hamlin, who earned his second All-Star Race victory.
Tragically, that race would be the final in the career of Kyle Busch, who passed away four days later after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis. Two days prior to the All-Star Race, Busch won his final NASCAR event in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Dover.
Dover Motor Speedway returning as a points race in 2027
After hosting the All-Star Race for the first time in track history, Dover will return as a points race for the 2027 Cup Series season.
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The weekend of May 15-16 will be when NASCAR returns to action at “The Monster Mile.” The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will run on Saturday, May 15, while the Cup Series takes to the track on Sunday, May 16.
North Wilkesboro Speedway will return as the site for NASCAR’s All-Star Race next year. After being off the schedule since 1996, North Wilkesboro returned in 2023 to host the $1 million event.
North Wilkesboro again hosted the All-Star Race in 2024 and 2025 before getting a points race this season, the first time the track has had a NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race in 30 years.
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