Dover International Speedway - Taming The Monster

The procedure for the day starts with a short lecture on safety and track etiquette. Then everyone rides around the track in big 12-seat vans. While circling the track, participants are given part two of the classroom instruction, which includes reinforcing safety rules and the lines for the corners. This is where you begin to experience the reason behind the Monster nickname, but more on that later.

After a half-dozen instructional cruising laps in the vans, we head back to the infield media center. Everyone driving or taking a ride suits up. While this is happening, the cars are brought from the garage area and warmed up. About now the excitement starts building. One thing is certain-if you want to prime a race fan's adrenaline glands, all you need do is fire up a bunch of open-exhaust V-8s.

For driver participants, a ride around the track with one of the Monster Racing instructors is the first part of the program. This is where the reason for the Monster's car-eating reputation comes under the spotlight. When they were marking out the radius of the turns, the piece of string probably got caught on something about halfway through each turn. The result is that the last 90 degrees or so of each turn tightens up, but not so much that you immediately notice. You do, however, notice it when you try to max out the corner.

If each turn was a constant radius, the apex would be right around the middle of the turn. Because it tightens up, the apex is moved around considerably. The line for the fastest way around will be different from that used when another car is in close proximity and trying to pass. The fast-lap line is slightly higher up the track during the first half of the corner, thus giving an opportunity for an equally fast car to get in underneath and deny the fast exit to the car up top. You are passed as a result.

Now, here's a scenario for those who wish to see how Dover looks at race speed. Imagine Space Mountain at Disney World. If you've been on that ride, then think of Dover as Space Mountain with all the turns going one way, pulling at least 50 percent more g-force. The turns are five times as fast at the slowest point!

When it was time to drive, I got to follow the Monster master, John Dickey. Because I had race experience, John set the pace accordingly. I was really pleased that the car handled well. It pretty much went where it was pointed. I can say from experience driving a number of Cup cars that handling at such a high level of precision is far from commonplace. A car that handles well is a great confidence booster, especially for first-time drivers.

After a few warm-up laps, Dickey picked up the pace. As that pace picked up, another revelation surfaced. Knowing the lines through the turns and actually sticking to them proved to be two different scenarios. For at least the first third of the turn, the whole deal looked like a constant radius. Upon arriving at the last third, it became apparent the turn was well into the process of tightening up. If this was not accounted for, and the car was carrying any kind of race speed, there was a very real chance of it repainting the wall.

The truth is that Dover is a trap for those whose attention lapses for even the briefest moment, and that is where the challenge lies. All I can say is more strength to the guys who can lap this track in 25 seconds or less and do it for 400 miles! That is a real achievement.

To do Dover as a ride-around with Monster Racing costs $89, and the price begins at $359 if you want to drive, depending on the number of laps you want. Although in line with other schools, that price is still not an inconsequential sum. I was at Dover with some 40 folks riding or driving. At the end of the day, every one of them was pumped up and smiling like a lottery winner. I have to conclude that, like me, they all figured it was well worth the money, time, and effort.