Melvin Joseph, construction pioneer and owner of Melvin Joseph Construction, died on April 6, 2005 after a brief illness. He was 83.

Joseph, of Georgetown, Del., oversaw construction during the late '60s of the dual-use Dover Downs facility, which includes the one-mile motorsports track and the 5/8-mile horse track. Joseph had been a constant fixture at Dover International Speedway events, giving drivers the command to start their engines at every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race in Dover since 1969.

At the time of his death, Joseph served on the board of directors for Dover Motorsports, Inc. as vice president and director of auto racing for Dover International Speedway. He also served on the board of Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. Joseph was originally appointed to the board of what was then Dover Downs, Inc. in 1969.

"Over the years Melvin contributed a great deal to our organization," said Denis McGlynn, CEO and president of Dover Motorsports, Inc. and Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. "We are grateful for his willingness to share his knowledge on our behalf, and for his lifelong dedication to our efforts.

He was a most valuable contributor to our success."

Joseph oversaw the complicated 1994 repaving project at Dover International Speedway that transformed the asphalt into the current concrete surface.

Joseph also served as a consultant for the Dover Motorsports construction of Nashville Superspeedway, in Lebanon, Tenn., in 2000.

Among many other career-long accolades, Joseph was a 2002 inductee into the Delaware Sports Museum Hall of Fame.

Funeral arrangements are pending. More information will be posted on the Dover International Speedway website, www.doverspeedway.com, as it becomes available.