Press Release

Dover sends a monster “congrats” to Jimmie Johnson for making NASCAR history with his fourth consecutive championship

Release date: November 22, 2009
Contact: Dover PR

DOVER, Del. – Since the inception of the “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup” in 2004, no driver has ever won the September NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Monster Mile and the series championship in the same season … until now.

Jimmie Johnson captured his fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship on Sunday becoming the first driver to ever win four in a row.

Johnson celebrates with the monster trophy after winning at Dover in May 2009. Photo by Getty Images

“There always seems to be at least one athlete in a sport that sets the bar just a little bit higher than any other competitor, and in NASCAR, that person is Jimmie Johnson,” said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “Dynasties in sports aren’t always appreciated as they happen, and unfortunately, Jimmie’s current dominance may be a prime example. But I think when we look back 10 or 20 years from now, we’ll all really be impressed at what he was able to accomplish during this stretch in NASCAR history.

“At times, he can win a race at ease it seems, and it’s becoming that way with championships. He knows how to get it done when the pressure is on, and his crew serves as a great supporting cast if he happens to get in trouble on the track.”

Johnson launched his championship campaign this season by winning the second race in the “Chase” at Dover on Sept. 27, 2009.  Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet Impala SS led 271 of 400 laps en route to sweeping the NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover in 2009. He also swept both races at Dover in 2002, his rookie season.

The win, his fifth at Dover, also tied him for third on the track’s all-time wins list with David Pearson. 

Tickets are now on sale for the May 14-16, 2010 NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Dover International Speedway. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 800-441-RACE or click here.

Dover International Speedway is owned by Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD), a leading promoter of motorsports events in the United States. DVD subsidiaries operate three tracks in three states, and present several hundred motorsports events each year. This includes 14 major, national events which include races sanctioned by NASCAR and the NHRA. Dover Motorsports, Inc. also owns and operates Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, Mo., and Nashville Superspeedway near Nashville, Tenn. For further information log on to www.DoverMotorsports.com. This release may contain forward-looking statements based on management’s beliefs and assumptions. Such statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause results to vary materially. Please refer to the SEC filings of DVD for a discussion of such factors.