Alvin Kamara, a former running back for the Tennessee Vols, says his favorite NASCAR track is the most bizarre one.

Alvin Kamara’s unexpected declaration that Dover Motor Speedway—aptly nicknamed the “Monster Mile”—is his favorite NASCAR track has raised more than a few eyebrows among both football and racing fans. What makes this one-mile concrete oval so unusual—and so captivating to a Super Bowl champion—is a blend of history, design quirks, and fan culture that truly sets it apart. Below is an in-depth look at why Kamara’s pick might actually be one of the most fascinating choices in recent sports crossover history.

From the Gridiron to the Grandstands

Alvin Kamara first burst onto the national stage as a dynamic running back for the Tennessee Volunteers, where his combination of vision, agility, and power foreshadowed an All-Pro NFL career with the New Orleans Saints. Yet beyond touchdowns and highlight-reel runs, Kamara nurtured an unexpected passion: stock-car racing.

“My favorite track, and I feel like I’m the only one that says this, I like Dover,” Kamara revealed on the Rubbin’ Is Racing podcast. “I like Dover. It just feels like a high school football game.”

That comment didn’t come out of the blue. In 2021, NASCAR named Kamara its first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor, recognizing his ability to bridge the gap between football fans and motorsports enthusiasts. His official role has taken him to Nashville Superspeedway and beyond, where he’s helped craft fan-focused experiences and content to draw new audiences into the sport .

The “Monster Mile”: A One-of-a-Kind Oval

Dover Motor Speedway stands alone on NASCAR’s schedule. Unlike the superspeedways of Daytona or Talladega, Dover is a compact, high-banked concrete oval:

• Length: 1.000 mile (1.609 km)
• Turns banking: 24°
• Straights banking: 9°
• Surface: Originally asphalt (1969–1994), switched to concrete in 1995—making it one of the oldest continuously used concrete surfaces in the sport .

These specs create a brutal, unrelenting rhythm: a relentless series of left turns that punish both car and driver, demanding precision on every lap. Dover’s concrete surface also ages differently than asphalt, developing unique grip characteristics over time—sometimes resulting in wild tire wear and unpredictable racing grooves.

Why “Bizarre”? The Anatomy of Dover’s Oddities

1. A Horse Racing Track at Its Core

Encircling the NASCAR oval is a five-eighths-mile harness-racing track—once part of the Dover Downs International Speedway complex. This odd juxtaposition means fans drive past horse stables and betting windows en route to grandstands that ring a world-class motorsports venue, offering a surreal blend of sporting cultures .

2. The Evolution of “Miles the Monster”

In 2000, Dover introduced “Miles the Monster,” a towering mascot originally envisioned as a dinosaur erupting from the concrete. By 2008, a 46-foot monument of Miles stood outside Turn 4, symbolizing the track’s ferocious character. Fans now trade Miles-the-Monster memorabilia alongside die-casts, reinforcing Dover’s status as a place where tradition meets theatricality .

3. A Legacy Forged in Adversity

Dover’s place in NASCAR lore was cemented when it hosted the first Cup race after the September 11, 2001 attacks—an event that underscored racing’s resilience amid national tragedy. That very race saw fans rally in record numbers, and the track has since celebrated over 106 NASCAR Cup events, each contested over exactly 400 miles since its 1969 debut .

4. Unforgiving Physical Demands

Drivers often describe Dover as a “twenty-turn” racetrack because the banking makes every straight feel like a turn. With 24° banking and concrete’s high abrasion, race cars are constantly under stress—brakes overheat, tires blister, and setups must balance between stability in the corners and speed on the straights. Few tracks test a team’s engineering savvy and a driver’s stamina like Dover.

Fan Culture: Feel-Good Football Vibes

Alvin Kamara’s comparison to a “high school football game” is telling. Unlike the corporate-slick atmosphere of some NASCAR weekends, Dover often feels like a community fest:

• Tailgating: Grilled burgers shared alongside RV clusters.
• Camping: Some 3,000 permanent campsites surround the venue, where fans bond over gear-shifting tales and football cross-overs .
• Intimate Viewing: From many seats, you can see the horseshoe-shaped harness track inside the oval—an ever-present reminder of Dover’s dual-sport heritage.

Kamara’s own fandom mirrors this warmth. Just as Tennessee Volunteers fans pack Neyland Stadium in orange, he finds Dover’s orange-and-black color scheme and community spirit reminiscent of a Friday-night gridiron showdown. It’s the sense of belonging—and the friendly rivalry—that make Dover special to him.

Milestones and Modern Moments

• Lap Record: In NASCAR Cup Series competition, Chase Elliott’s blistering 22.203-second lap in the 2019 Gander RV 400 remains the benchmark .
• Attendance Changes: Once accommodating over 140,000 fans, Dover has “right-sized” to a 54,000 permanent seating capacity as of 2022—an echo of NASCAR’s broader shift toward experiential fan engagement over sheer numbers .
• Ownership: Speedway Motorsports acquired Dover in December 2021, ushering in a new era of investments and fan-first initiatives, including revamped infield campsites and enhanced hospitality suites.

Looking Ahead: Why Dover Continues to Captivate

Alvin Kamara’s choice of Dover as his “most bizarre” favorite track shines a spotlight on what makes sports fandom so richly diverse. It’s not always the biggest stage or the most famous venue that leaves the deepest impression—it’s often the one with personality, history, and a touch of the unexpected.

Whether you’re a football star turned racing ambassador or a lifelong NASCAR devotee, Dover’s Monster Mile challenges assumptions and forges memories. In every roaring engine, every concrete crack, and every Mile the Monster mascot sighting, there’s a reminder that sometimes the most unconventional choice is also the most rewarding.

–––
*By exploring the Monster Mile through Alvin Kamara’s eyes, we discover that what one fan finds “bizarre” can actually be the very heart of a track’s magic.*