DOVER, Del. (AP) – Chase Elliott took note that Dover’s grandstands passed the eye test and looked fuller on Sunday before rain washed out the conclusion of the race.
A track that scaled down in size – and races – in recent years had full sections, hundreds of fans crowded the entertainment events chasing driver autographs, and the turnout for a country music concert seemed fitting for a popular act on the property’s yearly music festival.
At least one Delaware native loved the scene.
“This is like a festival atmosphere,” actor and pace car driver Ryan Phillippe said. “What’s going on outside with the concerts, and inside, it feels like way more than just a race for me.”
The advertising tarps that once covered empty sections at Dover Motor Speedway went the way of the rain on Monday: Totally gone.