DOVER, Del. - Dover Motor Speedway will host its 20th annual 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive on Thursday, Sept. 11, honoring the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The blood drive, held in partnership with the Blood Bank of Delmarva, runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will allow eligible donors to drive their own car on the Monster Mile. That is the track’s high-banked, one-mile concrete oval that has hosted NASCAR events for over 50 years.
This marks only the third time in the event’s history that donors will be invited to take a celebratory lap after giving blood.
The Blood Bank of Delmarva says that appointments are strongly encouraged and donors must be healthy and fever-free at the time of their appointment.
Event details:
- Location: Dover Motor Speedway, enter via Leipsic Road near the Monster Monument
- Suggested GPS address: 99 Plaza Drive, Dover, DE 19901
- Waivers required: Participants must sign waivers before donating and driving on the track
According to America’s Blood Centers, despite nearly 63% of Americans being eligible to donate blood, only 3% do so annually.
The blood bank says blood donations take about an hour and can help save multiple lives. One in seven hospital patients will need a blood transfusion. The Blood Bank of Delmarva says that can include cancer patients, trauma victims, newborns and individuals with chronic conditions.