Harness Horse Racing

Dover Downs (tel. 800/711-5882) offers harness horse racing November through April. Races run Monday through Thursday at 4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 5:30pm. Simulcast racing is offered year-round, daily from noon to midnight.

Harrington Raceway, Route 13, Harrington (tel. 302/398-7223), has 90 race days from late April through July and August through November. Harness racing usually runs Saturday through Thursday, with post time at 5:30pm. Simulcast is available daily from noon to midnight. Midway slot machines and "video lottery" are also available year-round. The track is located on the state fair grounds, about 15 miles south of Dover.

Stock-Car Racing

Twice a year, NASCAR fans flock to Dover International Speedway, 1131 N. DuPont Hwy. (Rte. 13), Dover (tel. 302/857-3219). These two major races draw some of the world's top drivers to this 140,000-seat track. Ticket prices for adults range from $40 for general admission to $100 for the best seats; order online or call 800/441-RACE. Tickets go on sale 10 months before race weekends.

DART First State (tel. 302/652-DART) offers shuttle buses from the Blue Hen Corporate Center in Dover and Christiana Mall in Wilmington. Tickets are $20 per carload from the Blue Hen Corporate Center and $10 per person round-trip from Christiana Mall. Call or check the website for a schedule; bring exact change.

Put Yourself in the Driver's Seat

Want to ride in a Winston Cup car? Maybe even drive it yourself? Monster Racing Driving School (tel. 800/468-6946) will let you get behind the wheel to "tame the Monster" at Dover Speedway. For $89, you can ride the course for four laps with an instructor. Packages range from $359 to $919 to drive a race car for 30 laps, with shorter and less expensive alternatives in between.