Brendan Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra crew are ready to tackle the concrete monster—the “Monster Mile” also known as Dover International Speedway in Dover, DE. Gaughan has been part of six exciting NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races there and has a total of 12 NASCAR career starts at the one-mile track.
“Dover is one of the few places in racing that as a driver you actually get a sensation of speed. From the top of that race track to the very bottom I think somebody once told me is 25 or 30 feet? That’s a three story building. You actually drive down hill there. It’s really cool. The concrete gives you so much grip that you drive in so hard it actually frightens you. You kind of hold your breath! It’s a fun place to race,” exclaimed Gaughan.
The Las Vegas native will drive chassis TRD-026, which he has also driven at Phoenix and Martinsville. Dover is a track where engineering makes a huge difference in the outcome of the race, but, it’s also a track where sometimes, the driver can’t control his own destiny.
“At Dover there’s no place to hide. You’re going so fast, everything happens so quickly that you really have to pay attention. At Daytona you say so many things can happen that aren’t in your control. At Dover, it’s really the same. The straightaways are so narrow and there’s so much banking—there’s often just no time to react,” said Gaughan.
Despite the fact that sometimes Monster Mile finishes don’t always match up with a team and driver’s performance, Gaughan really appreciates what the track has done for developing its reputation and creating an atmosphere that gives Truck Series fans a great race to watch.
“Dover is such a fantastic place to race. The fans love it. The moniker they have given themselves, the Monster Mile, the trophy of the concrete monster—it’s one of the coolest trophies in the sport. All in all they’ve made it a fun place to race, and they’ve stayed within their moniker and improved on it. They have that suite where the fans sit right on top of the track and get to watch the race. It’s tough. Not everyone can drive Dover. But, it’s a fun place to race,” said Gaughan, who spent time during the off weeks doing more scuba dives off Florida’s coast and spending time with his wife and son.
Germain Racing PR
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