Dover International Speedway to host annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin on Oct. 24-26, 2014

Dover International Speedway announced today that it has reached an agreement to become the new host site for the World Championship Punkin Chunkin event, an annual contest that will be held Oct. 24-26, 2014 on the Speedway grounds. 2014 marks the 28th year of the event.

Punkin Chunkin has been held each year in Delaware since 1986, and sees teams from around the world compete in the sport of hurling a pumpkin solely by mechanical means for distance. Some devices used include slingshots, catapults, air cannons and more. The non-profit event gives out scholarships to students each year.

Punkin Chunkin will take place on the same grounds the Speedway uses to host the Firefly Music Festival. For the seventh consecutive year, Science Channel will be on hand capturing every moment of the high-stakes, unbelievable engineering and autumnal absurdity of Punkin Chunkin. In what has become a Thanksgiving Week tradition all of the high-flying Punkin Chunkin action will world premiere on Science Channel Saturday, November 29 from 8-10 PM ET/PT.

“We’re excited to bring a world renowned event like Punkin Chunkin to Dover International Speedway,” said Mike Tatoian, executive vice president and COO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “Their event and incredible fan base, teamed with our infrastructure and experience with hosting large-scale events should make for a terrific event this fall and subsequent years.”

Tatoian said the Speedway’s central location in the state and easy access off of State Route 1 make it an ideal location to host Punkin Chunkin for the first time.

“In addition, we hope that by keeping this distinctly Delaware event in Delaware we will attract a number of new fans from the north, allowing us to make Punkin Chunkin bigger and better than ever.”

The Punkin Chunkin organizers scouted more than 50 locations both within and outside of Delaware before settling on the Speedway for the 2014 event, citing not only its convenient location but also the available space. Some air cannons can shoot pumpkins nearly one mile, so locating a space that could handle the competition and crowds proved challenging for Punkin Chunkin officials.

Dover Motorsports PR