Dover International Speedway hosted its first NASCAR event, the Mason-Dixon 300, on July 6, 1969, when Richard Petty won the race by 6 laps. The highly banked, one-mile oval track was created, financed, and built by Gov. David P. Buckson, Lt. Gov. John W. Rollins, and Melvin L. Joseph beginning in August 1967. Nicknamed the "Monster Mile" for its punishing impact on cars and drivers, the track can reach speeds of 170 mph. Its surface was changed from asphalt to concrete before the 1995 racing season. Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, David Pearson, and Cale Yarborough all found success there.