By Mike Finney

DOVER — NASCAR will only come knocking on the door of Dover International Speedway one time again in 2022, when the racetrack hosts the Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, May 1.

It will mark the second consecutive year that Dover will have only one NASCAR weekend, after hosting two races per year from 1971 until 2020.

Next May’s race weekend, which will also feature races in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and an ARCA Menards Series East race, will be announced at a later date.

“It’s an honor to once again host America’s best drivers at the world’s fastest one-mile oval,” Mike Tatoian, Dover International Speedway’s president and CEO, said in a press release. “The most loyal fans in NASCAR are already excited about next year’s race and we look forward to more thrilling action at the Monster Mile.”

Next year’s NASCAR race on Dover’s high-banked, one-mile concrete oval will mark the 104th time NASCAR’s Cup Series — its premier racing circuit — will compete in Delaware’s capital city, continuing a tradition that began with a Richard Petty victory at the track in 1969.

Dover International Speedway is one of only 10 tracks in the country to host 100 or more NASCAR Cup Series events.

Dover’s NASCAR tripleheader weekend last May featured a sellout of its limited-capacity grandstand seating for the Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race, which saw Alex Bowman return the No. 48 Chevrolet — made famous by seven-time champion and 11-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson — to victory lane.

“The fans are back, and I get to talk to them (without wearing a facemask),” Bowman said that day, to the fans cheering in the stands. “We’re so glad to have you guys back here. Man, this (Dover) is the best racetrack on the schedule in my opinion, I wish we still came here twice (a year) but thank you guys so much for coming out today.”

Nashville Superspeedway, which is also owned by Dover Motorsports and was awarded one of Dover’s two races by the company this year, is also scheduled to host a NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 26, 2022.

Recent NASCAR Cup Series ticket holders have the opportunity to renew their Dover seat location now through Nov. 10, 2021.
Fans are encouraged to log into their ticket accounts via DoverSpeedway.com to review and renew their seats for the Drydene 400.

New customers can start ordering 2022 seats beginning today by visiting DoverSpeedway.com.

The lowest grandstand ticket prices of the 2022 racing season, Dover International Speedway’s Preferred Pricing Period, is available through Nov. 10, 2021. Fans can save almost 50% on select seats by purchasing by this deadline.

More packages and offerings will be announced in the coming months. Visit DoverSpeedway.com to register for the Speedway’s email list to receive updates and more details.

Follow Speedway news and updates on DoverSpeedway.com and via social media at Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway, or on Twitter and Instagram at @MonsterMile.

NASCAR announces new venues, schedule tweaks

NASCAR announced Wednesday the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, a slate that spans 39 total events, including the May 1 race at Dover.

The 2022 schedule builds on the steps taken in 2021 by adding more new and dynamic venues to host NASCAR’s premier series for the first time.

On Tuesday, NASCAR announced the Clash — NASCAR’s prelude event to the Daytona 500 since 1979 — will take place somewhere other than Daytona International Speedway when NASCAR visits the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 6, 2022.

The NASCAR Cup Series will visit another track for the first time when the green flag flies at World Wide Technology Raceway just outside St. Louis on June 5.

“As we demonstrated last year, we are committed to creating the most dynamic schedule for our fans, long term,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of strategy and innovation. “With the addition of new and unique venues like the Coliseum and World Wide Technology Raceway, each in markets with passionate NASCAR fans, we’re continuing to build on bold changes to deliver the best racing in the world.

“This latest iteration of the schedule should lend itself to another season filled with drama and great racing on the track, starting with the Daytona 500 and culminating with NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway.”

In another move — and a nod to recent history — Homestead-Miami Speedway will return to the NASCAR Playoffs mix. The popular 1.5-mile destination track will be a key venue when it hosts the second of three Round of 8 races on Oct. 23.

In addition, Texas Motor Speedway (Sept. 25) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Oct. 16) will swap dates and lead off the Round of 12 and Round of 8, respectively.

In addition, Kansas Speedway will move up in the playoff schedule, becoming the second race in the Round of 16 (Sept. 11).

The 2022 season will officially kick off with the running of “The Great American Race” — the Daytona 500 — at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 20 live on FOX — an event that will also host the regular-season points-race debut of the Next Gen race car.

Phoenix Raceway will be the home to NASCAR Championship Weekend for the third consecutive year, Nov. 4-6.