Johnson Fastest Friday During First Dover Practice Session

Jimmie Johnson fastest in first practice session Friday at Dover

Seven-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson was fastest in Friday's first practice session with a lap at 159.603 mph in preparation for Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway. Johnson ran the fastest lap on his first of 11 run during the 90-minute session while in qualifying trim, and could be in line to grab his fourth Dover pole during Friday's qualifying.

Should Johnson win on Sunday, he'll set an all-time track record with eight wins, passing NASCAR Hall-of-Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison.

Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, was second fastest (159.447) during the session, followed by Kyle Busch (159.348 ), Kurt Busch (159.208) and Jamie McMurray (159.067).

Kahne has never won at Dover, but will be using the same chassis that won at Bristol. Although Bristol is half-mile shorter than Dover, both tracks are concrete and have similar banking. Kyle Busch has two wins at Dover while his older brother Kurt won there for the first time in 2011, which remains his last win in the series.

Rounding out the top-ten quickest in the session were Denny Hamlin (158.800), Brad Keselowski (158.730), Joey Logano, three-time Dover winner Ryan Newman (158.479) and four-time Dover winner Jeff Gordon (158.458).

Keselowski won at Dover during the Chase last season, and also fared well at Bristol in March with a third-place finish. The best news of all for Keselowski may be that crew chief Paul Wolfe is returning after serving a suspension.

No driver ran 10-consecutive laps during the practice session.

The final two practice sessions will be on Saturday afternoon with all teams running in race trim, which will be a major indicator to who will win on Sunday.

Dover Practice 1 Speeds

Dover Starting Lineup


Driver Quotes from Friday at Dover

CLINT BOWYER:

Do you enjoy racing at Dover? “It is fun, but I’m telling you, you are going to work hard for it. You’ve got to fight this ‘monster’ every lap. I won a couple of Nationwide races here — haven’t won a Cup race — but love this race track. It’s very demanding and (we’ve) been getting better as a team I feel like each and every week. We’re getting closer and closer to where we need to be to win a race. So hopefully we’ll inch in on that and maybe get us one here at Dover.”

How important is experience at Dover? “I’m telling you this is one of the toughest tracks I went to the first time I came, but it’s a demanding race track. Here’s the thing about this track, it’s hard enough to get around here by yourself then you get to racing somebody and now you get frustrated and it’s so easy to get yourself in trouble on that race track. That being said, I think younger drivers get themselves in trouble in racing conditions on this demanding race track.”

How do you see the new car performing at Dover? “I think it will be more of the same and I think it’s going to be good racing. We’ve got more down force and more grip and on a track like this I think that’s just going to make us race closer yet and be a better show for our fans.”

KEVIN HARVICK:

TALK ABOUT BEING HERE AT DOVER THIS WEEKEND: “This has been obviously an okay track for us in the past. We haven’t got to Victory Lane, but feel like we’ve definitely closed that gap over the past couple of years. Should be hot this weekend so it should be nice and slick and the groove should move around. Should be a fun weekend, this is a race track you can be really aggressive with the car getting in the corners and have to be aggressive with the car throughout every lap to make time. It’s a fun place to drive.”

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU RACED AT DOVER AND WHAT YOU THOUGHT? “Yeah, my first experience here was the only pole we have ever had here. We sat on the pole in the Nationwide race and we were able to have a pretty good day if I remember right. We got a flat tire, but I had a pretty good first experience here.”

CAN THE NO. 29 TEAM THIS YEAR WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP? “Right now we are just racing on a week to week basis and the performance of the cars has been good. We have been able to get to Victory Lane four times, two points races, so I think we are in a good position to contend for it. Everybody is focused on the job and task at hand to be able to put ourselves in position to try to do that. I don’t see why not.”

Driver Chassis Selections for 2013 Dover FedEx 400: Kahne Bringing Winning Bristol Car

Kasey Kahne will be using winning Bristol chassis this week at Dover

#2-Brad Keselowski: Primary Chassis: PRS-849. Last Raced - Texas (finished ninth).Backup Chassis: PRS-834. Last Raced: Backup at several races (not raced).

#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Kenny Francis will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-769 for Sunday's race at Dover. Kahne has raced this car three times this season, notably reaching Victory Lane at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on March 17. During those three starts, he has tallied outside pole positions at Phoenix and Bristol, while starting fourth at Richmond, Va.

#10-Danica Patrick Chassis No. 10-579: Chassis No. 10-579 was used by Ryan Newman during the 2010 and 2011 seasons but has since been completely overhauled and transformed into a Gen-6-style Chevrolet SS. This will mark the second race for Chassis 10-579 with Patrick behind the wheel as she used it in March at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Patrick started 41st and finished 28th at the .533-mile concrete oval. The GoDaddy team then tested Chassis 579 May 14-15 at Dover.

#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-722: This car debuted in June 2012 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway as Stewart took Chassis No. 14-722 from its 22nd-place starting spot to finish third in the Pocono 400. It returned to Pocono in August for the series' second visit to the quirky, 2.5-mile triangle where it had a similar outing, as Stewart rallied it from its 28th-place starting spot to finish fifth in the rain-shortened race. While Chassis No. 14-722 didn't race again in 2012, it was tested extensively in the wind tunnel and on the track. It tested at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway Sept. 25-26 and at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City Oct. 17-18. With 2013 Chevrolet SS bodywork covering it, Chassis No. 14-722 returned to racing in March at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the Food City 500. After qualifying eighth and practicing well, Stewart declared he had the best car he'd had in years at Bristol. But just nine laps into the 500-lap race around the .533-mile oval, Stewart's left-rear tire deflated. Stewart spun and impacted the SAFER Barrier on the outside of turn one with the left side of his racecar. Stewart was OK, but his racecar was not. After lengthy repairs, Stewart returned to the track and finished 31st. Chassis No. 14-722 was rebuilt and saw track time at Dover during a test May 14-15. It returns to Dover this weekend where it will make its fourth career start and second of 2013.

#16-Greg Biffle: Primary Chassis: RK-809 Last ran Darlington finished 13th. Backup Chassis: RK-822 Last ran Martinsville finished 9th.

#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: RK- 820 last raced at Kansas finished 11th. Backup Chassis: RK-811 - chassis raced numerous times by No. 99 in 2012.

#22-Joey Logano: Primary Chassis: PRS-842. Last Raced: Bristol (finished 17th). Backup Chassis: PRS-836. Last Raced: Backup at several races (not raced)

#27-Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 412 at Dover International Speedway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS was previously run this season at Bristol Motor Speedway and tested at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

#29-Kevin Harvick: will pilot chassis No. 383 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks. The California native last piloted this Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway in May, collecting a fifth-place result.

#31-Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 392 this weekend at Dover International Speedway. This No. 31 Chevrolet was utilized three times during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Kentucky Speedway and Dover. Burton also piloted this machine to a top-10 finish earlier this season at Phoenix International Raceway.

#39-Ryan Newman Chassis No. 39-761: Newman will pilot Chassis No. 39-761 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Built new for 2013, Chassis 39-761 was wind-tunnel tested earlier this month, and will see its first laps of competition this weekend at Dover.

#43-Aric Almirola: The #43 team has prepared chassis No. 855, a new chassis, for Dover.

#55-Mark Martin: Primary-774. Backup-720 neither have raced in 2013.

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-745 this weekend at Dover. Earnhardt last raced this chassis to a ninth-place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May.

#99-Carl Edwards RK - 802 last ran at Richmond. RK 819 backup last ran at Martinsville.

Compiled by Jayski.com

"Concrete Carl" has 8.3 average at Dover, best among actives

Edwards is listed at 12-to-1 odds to win at Dover this week

Carl Edwards – Dover
Team: No. 99 Subway Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Jimmy Fennig
Primary Chassis: RK- 802 last ran at Richmond
Backup Chassis: RK – 819 backup last ran at Martinsville

ADVANCE NOTES

Edwards at Dover
In 17 starts at the one-mile track, Edwards has one win, eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Edwards scored his only Cup win there in Sept. ’07. He has an average start of 15 and an average finish of 8.3.

In the Loop
According to NASCAR’s Loop Statistics compiled over the last 17 races at Dover, Edwards has turned 487 of the track’s fastest laps which is second highest, spent 4782 laps (74.7%) in the top 15 (fifth highest) and led a total of 532 laps (fourth highest). Edwards’ driver rating (127.2) is third best among active drivers.

The Car
The No. 99 crew will roll out RK – 802 this weekend which last ran in Richmond where Edwards landed a sixth-place finish.

Primary Sponsor Note
Subway returns to the track for the third time of the 2013 season. This weekend, the No. 99 Subway Ford Fusion will run a special decal on the C-post for Autism Speaks.

Edwards quotes on Dover
““Dover is the most physically demanding oval we go to,” stated Edwards. “It’s fast and if you have trouble, there’s nowhere to hide. We have run extremely well there as a company and I still smile when I remember Matt (Kenseth), Greg (Biffle) and I racing there for the win a few years ago. We plan on getting Subway their second win of the year on Sunday.”

- Roush Fenway Racing

Jimmie Johnson "extremely proud" to be in position to set All-time Dover win record

Johnson's Dover win last May was his seventh 

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (May 29, 2013) – “So close no matter how far. Couldn’t be much more from the heart. Forever trust in who we are and nothing else matters.” Metallica’s lyrics seem fitting this weekend for Jimmie Johnson as he heads to Dover (Del.) International Speedway for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

There are a lot of good things going on for the five-time champion at the track, including a special paint scheme touting the new animated movie “Monsters University,” a scheme he says his daughter Evie is looking forward to. He’s not too bad getting around the concrete mile oval, either. He is currently the winningest active driver at the track and has a shot at becoming the all-time winningest driver with a victory Sunday. But fun paint schemes and historic records pale in comparison to what Johnson will do Thursday when he is scheduled to visit tornado-ravaged Oklahoma to distribute relief supplies at the Lowe’s store in Moore.

Suddenly those lyrics take on a whole meaning because, when it comes to helping those in need, truly “nothing else matters.”

As part of the $1 million pledge, Lowe’s donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross and matched the earnings of Johnson from Sunday’s NASCAR race at Charlotte Motor Speedway with an additional donation to the Red Cross. Lowe’s will use the remainder of its $1 million commitment to fund local projects in areas of greatest need as identified by its national nonprofit partners.

Johnson and his wife, Chandra, who is from Muskogee, Okla., have pledged Johnson’s winnings from Sunday’s race to go to disaster relief as well. That amount totaled nearly $148,000.

Johnson’s Dover and Season Quick Stats:
* Seven wins (June and September 2002, September 2005, June and September 2009, September 2010 and June 2012).
* Three poles (September 2009 and 2010, June 2011).
* 11 top-five finishes (50 percent) and 16 top-10s (72.7 percent) in 22 starts.
* Two DNFs (did not finish – June 2003 and 2004).
* Average start of 9.7 and average finish of 8.6.
* Completed 8,619 of 8,804 laps (97.9 percent) and led 2,318.
* Sprint Cup’s best driver rating (120.6 average of a possible 150 points).
* Sprint Cup’s best average running position (7.0).
* Sprint Cup’s best in fastest laps run (878).
* Sprint Cup’s most laps in the top-15 with 5,570 (87 percent).
* Sprint Cup’s best average green-flag speed – 143.988 mph.
* In 12 Sprint Cup races run this season, Johnson has finished in the top-five six times.

With a win Sunday, Johnson would surpass Richard Petty and Bobby Allison on the all-time win list at Dover. The three are currently tied with seven victories each. Johnson is the only active driver with seven wins at the Monster Mile.

Driver, Team and Sponsor Notes
Johnson will drive the No. 48 Lowe’s Monsters University Chevrolet SS Sunday at Dover. In addition, Johnson will make a special race day appearance at 10:15 a.m. EDT Sunday. The five-time champion will help kids in attendance assemble the “Monsters University” Build and Grow cars and host a kids-oriented question-and-answer session. All children are welcome.

* Characters from Disney Pixar’s “Monsters University,” which opens in theatres June 21 in 3D, will grace the hood of Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS at Dover. The familiar characters of Mike and Sulley will be riding with Johnson in a special paint scheme to help kick off Lowe’s special Disney-themed Build and Grow clinics, which will be offered at Lowe’s stores throughout the summer.

* Kids attending the Dover races Friday through Sunday will have an opportunity to get involved by visiting the Monsters University Admissions Tent. Kids will get a Monsters University Student ID badge for an opportunity to assemble a special-edition Lowe’s Build and Grow project of Johnson’s “Monsters University” racecar. The display will be located in the Dover Fan Zone.

* As part of Lowe’s Build and Grow program, Disney and Lowe’s have teamed up to offer families a summer of do-it-yourself fun.Beginning June 8, Lowe’s stores nationwide will hold free movie-themed Build and Grow clinics, featuring projects from Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University,” Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” and Disney’s “Planes.”

* Johnson drew the final two charities for the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program Saturday at Charlotte. Humane Society of Charlotte and Encompass join Against Abuse, Inc., Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Chelsea’s Hope, Me Fine Foundation, Denver Kids, Inc., Miracle League of Pensacola, International FOP Association, Inc., Ruth’s Reusable Resources, Peach’s Neet Feet and MISS Foundation

* To date, the program has contributed more than $430,000 to 61 different charities.

JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTES

You have a special paint scheme this weekend that you will be running at Dover. What are your thoughts about it?
“We have the Monsters University movie, we’re promoting the movie, and it will be on our racecar this weekend at the Monster Mile. So excited to have a fun car. I know my daughter has enjoyed the rendering of the car and my helmet and all that goes with it. We had a lot of good luck last year with Madagascar on the car, and I hope that this one will bring us some more luck, as well.”

You are tied for all‑time wins at seven tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule. Are those records on your radar at all?
“They are now. When you said seven, I had no idea I had that opportunity or that honor taking place. That’s mind‑boggling to me. I knew of the Charlotte stuff and I knew about Dover and Martinsville, but I didn’t know about the others. I’m extremely proud of that. I’ve worked hard to put myself in this position and so does the team, and we’ve been able to capitalize on those opportunities and hard work and get stuff done, so I’m really excited about that.”

Do you feel as good about things right now as your points lead would indicate your team is that good?
“No, I mean, I feel good about things. We’ve got a huge points lead and we’ve had the wins and there have been tracks that we’ve been really hot at. But I feel like our mile‑and‑a‑half stuff we’ve been really a top-five car. Our short-track stuff and superspeedway stuff we’ve been a winning car. With the mile-and-a-half tracks occupying so much of the year, and especially the Chase, we have a little bit of room for improvement there. I do feel very good about our cars and don’t want to undermine that. But the points lead is huge, and I’d love to keep it that way and roll into Richmond or the races before Richmond with that kind of points lead so we can lock in.”

-  True Speed Communication for Team Lowe’s Racing

LVH IndyCar Series Odds to Win: 2013 Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit

CHEVROLET INDY DUAL IN DETROIT
RACE #1
THE RACEWAY AT BELLE ISLE PARK
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2013

WILL POWER 3
RYAN HUNTER-REAY 6
HELIO CASTRONEVES 6
SCOTT DIXON 6
DARIO FRANCHITTI 12
JAMES HINCHCLIFFE 7
TONY KANAAN 15
SIMON PAGENAUD 20
JUSTIN WILSON 20
TAKUMA SATO 20
GRAHAM RAHAL 30
A.J. ALLMENDINGER 20
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS 40
ALEX TAGLIANI 50
EJ VISO 50
MARCO ANDRETTI 20
CHARLIE KIMBALL 40
MIKE CONWAY 40
SIMONA DE SILVESTRO 60
FIELD 20

Kurt Busch ready to ride Charlotte success into Dover this weekend

Kurt Busch won at Dover in 2011; he's 20/1 to win Sunday

DENVER, Colo. (May 29, 2013) – After two consecutive weekends of contending performances at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kurt Busch and the Furniture Row Racing team will take their momentum to the challenging all-concrete Dover International Speedway, site of Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race – the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.

Busch, who posted top-five finishes in the Sprint All-Star Race (5th) and Coca-Cola 600 (3rd) along with notching front row starting positions in the past three races, feels the Denver-based, single-car team is starting to hit a new stride as the NASCAR season heads into the summer months.

“We’re hitting on some sweet spots right now which has been evident with the speed in our Furniture Row/Sealy Chevrolet,” said Busch. “Though we’ve been running up front and leading laps we haven’t quite been able to put together that perfect race which is needed to take us to Victory Lane. We were in position the past two weekends in Charlotte but didn’t close the deal.”

With 14 races until the Chase playoff begins, Busch is a catchable 32 points out of the coveted 10th position.

“There are scenarios out there where we can make the Chase,” stated Busch. “The bottom line is that we need to continue the way we’ve been running and avoid mistakes and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’ve already had too many finishes in the 30s.”

Busch’s season to date includes three top-fives and four top-10s. The three top-fives is a season record forFurniture Row Racing and the third-place result last weekend in Charlotte was the team’s best finish of the season.

Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, has scored 24 career wins with the last one coming at the Dover Monster Mile in October 2011.

“Dover is a fun track to drive, you’re always on that edge and when you’re fast there it feels extra fast because of how close you have to cut it on corner exit and not hit the wall,” explained Busch. “It’s the Monster Mile for a reason – the track can chew up cars and spit them out. And it’s because of the tough transitions into the high-banked corners. It’s like you literally jump down into the corner and then jump back up out of the corner onto the straightaway. Those points of the track are the toughest part – the transition from straightaway to corner.”

In 25 career races at Dover, Busch has one win, six top-fives, eight top-10s and 418 laps led.

- DMF Communication for Furniture Row Racing

LVH Super Book makes Johnson 5-to-1 co-favorite to win eighth time at Dover

Johnson has won 4 of the last 8 Dover races, including 2009 sweep 

LAS VEGAS -- The LVH SuperBook has posted Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch as the 5-to-1 co-favorites to win Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway, where the 1-mile high-banked concrete oval is better known as the "Monster Mile". The track is one of a kind in the Sprint Cup series and produces some outstanding racing twice a year.

No current driver has tamed the concrete monster better than Johnson, and if he wins on Sunday, we can say that no driver in NASCAR history has tamed Dover better than Johnson. His win in this race last season gave him seven for his career, tying NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison.

He began his remarkable Dover run by sweeping the season as a rookie in 2002 and has been going strong ever since with an 8.6 average finish over his career at this track. Johnson has won four of the last eight races at Dover.

Based on Johnson's record at Dover and his 32-point lead atop the Sprint Cup standings, one could argue that he should be a bigger favorite than Busch, but Busch comes with a strong Dover resume as well. He's a two-time winner, his latest victory here coming in 2010.

Busch's experience and success at Bristol – where he has a dozen top-10 finishes, including five wins, since 2005 – bodes well for him at Dover. Although Bristol is a half-mile shorter than Dover, the high banking makes the set-up requirements similar. Several crew chiefs bring the chassis they used at Bristol to Dover.

Kasey Kahne won the March 17 race at Bristol, followed by Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch. The Busch brothers and Keselowski have been three of the more dominant drivers at Bristol over the last decade. Kurt Busch won at Dover in the fall of 2011 in a Penske ride, and Keselowski matched it last fall with a pivotal win in the Chase. Kahne hasn't won at Dover in 18 career starts, but did deliver his best performance ever in 2011 with fourth-place finish.

Kahne is 8-to-1 to win this week, Keselowski is 12-to-1 and Kurt Busch is 20-to-1 – his lowest odds of the season and very deserving.

Read More Here....Dover Odds from the LVH Super Book

Stewart not happy with Stenhouse Jr. wrecking his No. 10 car

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. used to drive open-wheel cars for Tony Stewart.

The two friends even joke about how many torn up chassis from Stenhouse’s wrecks now serve as artificial reefs on Stewart’s property.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all friends on the race track, and Stewart was apparently angry at Stenhouse on Sunday night following the Coca-Cola 600.

Late in the race, Stenhouse slid into Stewart-Haas Racing driver Danica Patrick, who then had contact with Brad Keselowski, damaging Keselowski beyond repair and ruining a potentially good run for Patrick.

Oh, did we mention that Patrick is Stenhouse’s girlfriend?

“Ricky Stenhouse, I'd choke him right now if I could get to him," Stewart told Sirius XM Radio, according to a USA Today report. "One more lap of having to mess around with him ... "

Stewart told the radio network that Stenhouse is one of those drivers who blocks too much. For the last year, Stewart has lashed out or retaliated against drivers—Brian Vickers and Joey Logano among them—for what he considers excessive blocking.

Read More Here.....Sporting News

Clint Bowyer gives his team B+ on season so far heading into Dover

Bowyer finished career best 5th last spring 

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 15 5-hour ENERGYToyota driver Clint Bowyer has the makings to be one of the coolest school teachers ever, but it appears he’d probably be pretty tough handing out grades. He gives himself and his Michael Waltrip Racing team only a B+ for its 2013 season so far despite sitting fourth in the point standings — eight spots higher with more laps led, top-fives and top-10s than at the same point last year. While he might not celebrate an A grade for the season, he’ll likely blow out some candles Thursday in celebration of his 34th birthday.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES

ON THE SEASON SO FAR: “I’d give the 5-hour ENERGY team, myself included, a B+ so far. I think to give yourself an A you need to win races and we haven’t been able to do that yet. Certainly in the points with all the things that have happened – we crashed out a couple races, like Talladega – we blew up at California. I mean, there’s been some setback and through all that we’re still good in points, so we’re happy so far.”

MONTH OF MAY: “The month of May has been tough on me historically and we got through it half-way decent. We didn’t have the finishes we wanted, but we didn’t have terrible finishes and that goes a long way towards moving forward to the summer months and not having to look over your back. Now we can continue to hone in and work on speed and racing for wins.”

DOVER: “At Dover you just have to race hard. That’s not a track that you can let your guard down at all. You have to be up on the wheel every lap and you have to have to whole package. You can’t be off in any way, shape or form in any area or you’re in trouble.”

BRIAN PATTIE ON MONTH OF MAY: “We had good speed in the month of May. That month is historically a challenge for Clint, so we were pretty happy that we had a top-10 car at Darlington, obviously we had a good car at Talladega and it didn’t work out as we planned there – and we finished top-10 at Charlotte. That’s decent. We’re ahead of where we were last year by quite a bit and that’s the goal. The end result is the same as last year. We have to make the Chase and continue to pay attention to 11th, so that hopefully we lock in before Richmond.”

DOVER: “Clint is fast at Dover. That’s one of his better tracks. June is full of tracks that he’s pretty good at and he likes a lot, so we have to capitalize on that. He had two solid races at Dover last year and we just need to find a tic more speed and execute throughout the event and I’m sure we’ll run really well.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

BIRTHDAY BOY: Bowyer celebrates his 34th birthday on Thursday, May 30.

BOWYER IN DOVER: Bowyer will make his 15th start at Dover on Sunday. In 14 previous attempts Bowyer has one top-five (spring 2012) and seven top-10s. He has led 34 laps. On average he starts 18th and finishes 13th. Current streak: four consecutive top-10 finishes, including a top-five last June.
2013 vs. 2012: Through 12 races of 2013, Bowyer is ranked eight spots higher (2013 – fourth; 2012 – 12th), has 19 more points (2013 – 385 points; 2012 – 366 points), three more top-five finishes (2013 – four; 2012 – one), one more top-10 (2013 – six; 2012 – five), he has led 109 more laps (2013 – 114 laps; 2012 – five laps).

5-hour ENERGY Open Track Session: Bowyer and team owner Michael Waltrip are participating in a question and answer session on the pre-race stage at the start/finish line on Saturday at 9 a.m. The event is free to ticket holder for the 5-hour ENERGY 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

- Michael Waltrip Racing

Greg Biffle Looking for His Third Dover Win on Sunday

Greg Biffle last won at Dover in 2008

Greg Biffle – Dover Advance
Team: No. 16 ACE Brand Rite Aid Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Matt Puccia
Primary Chassis: RK-809 Last ran Darlington – finished 13th
Backup Chassis: RK-822 Last ran Martinsville – finished 9th

ADVANCE NOTES

 Biffle at Dover
* In his 21 Sprint Cup career starts at Dover, Biffle has earned two wins, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.
* Biffle has an average starting position of 11.7 at Dover, with an average finishing position of 12.4.

The Car
Chassis RK-809 was the car Biffle won with at Texas in the spring of 2012. Most recently the chassis finished 13th in Darlington.

One Year Ago…
Biffle qualified seventh for the Spring race at Dover and crossed the finish line 11th after a final pit stop with 12 laps remaining cost him some track position.

Save in the Fast Lane
3M has partnered with Rite Aid for the “Save in the Fast Lane” Sweepstakes. Fans can win a VIP trip to the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions Week in Las Vegas, NV, just by shopping their local Rite Aid store with their Wellness Card for participating 3M products. (ACE Brand, Post-it, Command Brand, O-Cel-O, Scotch, Futuro Products, Nexcare and Scotch-Brite) Sweepstakes ends June 8, 2013.

Biffle on Dover:
“Dover is a track the Roush Fenway cars have run well at over the years and a place that we can hopefully turn our luck around. We’ve got some good tracks for us coming up, so we are looking to make up some points, starting with Dover.”

Puccia on Dover:
“Dover is the fastest mile track we go to on the circuit and has always been a good race for us. We are looking to get back on our normal streak of running good and Dover is the place we hope to turn our luck around.”

- Roush Fenway Racing,

Matt Kenseth: "Dover has always been my favorite track"

Matt Kenseth has finished in top-5 in last 8 of 10 Dover races 

FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway
No. 20 Dollar General Toyota News and Notes:

KENSETH BY THE NUMBERS AT DOVER: In 28 SprintCup Series career starts at Dover, Matt Kenseth has an average finish of 12.6, has completed 10,895 of 11,204 (97.2 percent) career laps, and has led for a total of 746 laps. Kenseth has earned two wins, 13 top-five, 18 top-10 finishes, and two poles at the Monster Mile where he made his first Sprint Cup Series start in 1998.

AUTISM AWARENESS: For the seventh year at Dover International Speedway, the track has partnered with Autism Speaks and teams across all three NASCAR series have stepped up to raise awareness for the cause during the upcoming weekend. Several teams will run a decal of the Autism Speaks puzzle piece logo on their cars, including Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, in the “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCARSprint Cup Series race. Kenseth is also participating in the Drive for Autism Golf Outing which takes place on Thursday, May 30th at the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, DE.

THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 DOLLAR GENERAL TOYOTA: Dollar General vendor partners STP, Sundown Naturals, Lysol, Capri Sun, Ragu, Glad, Scott Products, Gildan, Colgate and Slim Jim will be featured on Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota Camry this weekend at Dover International Speedway.
RACE INFO: The FedEx 400 benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway (1.0-mile) begins at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 2nd. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

From the Cockpit:

Matt Kenseth: “Dover has always been my favorite track. It’s really unique and one of those tracks that you really have to attack. It’s also a track that is difficult to get a fast lap around there by yourself because you’re really on the edge, and then when you put everyone else out there and we’re all racing at the same time, it makes things really interesting. I’ve always enjoyed the challenges of Dover, and any time that you can get a good run at a track that you really like, you always feel good about it. Dover is always a place that I look forward to.”

From the Pit Box:
Jason Ratcliff: “I know that Dover is a track that Matt (Kenseth) is quite fond of, and it’s one of my most favorite tracks on the circuit other than Darlington. I just like Dover because it’s unique and it reminds me of a Bristol on steroids. I just really like that it’s concrete, it’s fast, it’s high-banked, and it’s different. Things that apply at the mile-and-a-half kind of apply at Dover but then you also have to throw some short-track characteristics into your car as well. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it’s different from anywhere else that we go and that’s why I’m fond of it.”

- Joe Gibbs Racing

Dover Preview: 2013 FedEx 400

Johnson won for the seventh time on the 1-mile concrete oval in 2012 

The northeast gets their first live look at the touring NASCAR series this week when it arrives in Dover, Delaware for the 13th points race of the season. Also, 13 races will remain until the Chase begins. Dover International Speedway is a unique 1-mile concrete oval with 24 degrees of banking that has been part of the Sprint Cup series schedule since 1969. They call it the "Monster Mile".

"Dover is one of my favorite tracks," said Paul Menard, driver of the RCR No. 27 SS Chevrolet. "It's one of the few tracks that you get your greatest sense of speed. You can really feel the speed inside the car and anything can happen at that one-mile oval, making the nickname 'Monster Mile' very fitting. When you drop off into the corner, you feel the speed the most. We've had mixed results at Dover in the past, but I feel like we've got some momentum going into this weekend with our Libman/Menards Chevrolet."

The best way to handicap this weeks race is by using a little bit of past track history, what has happened on a few tracks this season, and also what teams are in a groove right. The final part of the equation will be known on Saturday after the final two practices are run in race trim.

Because there is no other track like Dover, we have to piece together a few elements from others tracks to come up with the top candidates to win. The track requires lots of horsepower, but not to the degree of Charlotte, Texas or Fontana. It also requires a great set-up with a premium placed on the balance of the car, which makes Bristol's high banked half-mile track similar in some ways.

Over the last few years, I've noticed several crew chiefs using their Bristol chassis at Dover and if that logic is good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

To recap what we saw at Bristol on March 17, Kasey Kahne led six times for 109 laps and beat Kyle Busch by 1.7 seconds. Denny Hamlin finished 23rd, but led twice for a race high 117 laps. All three of those drivers should be in contention this week. Kahne and Hamlin have never won at Dover, but Busch has two wins there, the last coming in 2010.

Read More Here.....Top-5 Finish Prediction

Kevin Harvick Looking for First Dover Win This Week

Harvick has two wins on the year, but has never won at Dover

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet

This Week’s Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS at Dover International Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 383 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks. The California native last piloted this Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway in May, collecting a fifth-place result.

Taking on “The Monster Mile” … Harvick will make his 25th Sprint Cup Series start at Dover International Speedway in the 400-lap event on Sunday afternoon. Dating back to 2001, the RCR veteran has collected three top-five and 10-top finishes, holds an average starting position of 20.2, average finishing position of 15.9, has completed 98.5 percent (9,461 of 9,604) laps contested and is credited with 144 laps led. Harvick’s best finish of second came during this race in 2012.

Find a Jimmy John’s Near You … Jimmy John’s, known for fresh, quality products and freaky fast service has 1,200 stores nationwide. Visit www.jimmyjohns.com to view Jimmy John’s Freaky Good menu and find your nearest location. You can order online or download the Jimmy John’s mobile application for Freaky Fast delivery.

Practice Makes Perfect … Harvick and the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing team will make a pit stop at Pocono Raceway on their way to Delaware for a team test session on Wednesday, May 29. The team is utilizing chassis No. 404 from the RCR stable, which the California native most recently drove to a 13th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Harvick, along with teammates Jeff Burton and Paul Menard, will be available to the media in the Pocono Raceway media center from 12:20-12:50 p.m. Eastern Time.

Good Tickets Cheap … Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Dover International Speedway and the Kevin Harvick Foundation (KHF) have partnered together for a special promotion. From now until June 1, Ollie’s customers can purchase “bargain” priced race tickets at any Ollie’s store location for the Dover 400 on Sunday, June 2. Ollie’s ticket holders will receive a free red t-shirt at the race. Participants of the “Red Out” will be eligible to win valuable prizes during the race. Ollie’s “Red Out” at Dover is in support of the Kevin Harvick Foundation and kicks off a chain-wide in-store customer donation campaign that runs from June 2 – July 13, 2013. While in-store, customers can make a donation by purchasing and placing their name on a special Kevin Harvick Foundation helmet badge that will be displayed at Ollie’s.

Race Rewind … Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s team brought home a second-place finish in the 2012 FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway. Harvick battled a loose-handling Chevrolet and overcame a pit road mishap on his way to collecting a career-best finish at the one-mile concrete oval.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

Share your thoughts on racing a Dover International Speedway.
“Dover (International Speedway) has been a good track for us the last couple of years. We tested there a few years ago and were able to figure a few things out. Hopefully it will be a good weekend. I like that track and the way you get to charge the race track and drive at Dover. It’s probably the hardest race on your body, just because of the force you deal with getting into and going through the corners.”

Some say a lap at Dover International Speedway is a like a roller coaster ride, would you agree with that?
“It is like a roller coaster ride. You go in and kind of fall down a hole, and as soon as the front end sets you try to go back to the gas and then you come jumping out of the hole onto each straightaway. It’s a roller coaster ride for sure, you can charge the corners hard and it’s just a fun race track to race on.”

- Richard Childress Racing

2013 FedEx 400 Dover Storylines

Jimmie Johnson going for eighth Dover win on Sunday

Crossed flags coming up. Dover International Speedway and Sunday’s FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks mark race No. 13 and the mid-point of the regular season. A year ago, nine of the top-10 ranked drivers leaving “The Monster Mile” wound up punching their tickets into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™.

Jimmie Johnson, the current standings leader, won last spring’s Dover race – his record-matching seventh. One more win breaks a tie with NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Richard Petty.

Brad Keselowski’s victory in Dover’s fall race was a springboard to his 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. The champ’s wheels are wobbling a bit after his 36th-place Coca-Cola 600 finish, Keselowski’s first DNF since the 2012 Daytona 500. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Key Penske personnel, including the No. 2 Ford’s crew chief Paul Wolfe, will return from their parts infraction suspensions at Dover.

Could this be the end of Richard Childress Racing’s near two-decade championship drought? Kevin Harvick won Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 was the second of the season for the No. 29 RCR Chevrolet. Both Harvick and teammate Paul Menard rank among the current top 10 in points.

Three former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions – Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart – hold Chase Wild Card eligibility among the top 20 but each has yet to find either victory or consistency in 2013.

The Denny Hamlin Wild Card Watch rolls on with the Virginian – fourth at Charlotte – reducing his top 20 deficit to 53 points.

Another race track. Another record in sight. Kyle Busch became Charlotte Motor Speedway’s all-time NASCAR Nationwide Series winner last weekend. Winner of six of the year’s nine races, Busch can accomplish the same feat in Saturday’s 5 Hour Energy 200 at Dover where he shares the three-victory record with Todd Bodine and Carl Edwards.

JR Motorsports’ Regan Smith continues to head NASCAR Nationwide Series standings by 28 points over former leader Sam Hornish Jr. Smith, however, has yet to finish among the top 15 at Dover.

Two drivers – leader Matt Crafton and reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher – reach career milestones in Friday’s Lucas Oil 200. Crafton will start his 300th consecutive race while fifth-ranked Buescher marks start No. 100.

Rookie and first-time winners dot the NCWTS record book at Dover where there have been 12 different winners in the track’s 13 races. Kyle Busch is the series’ only two-time winner.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES – FEDEX 400 BENEFITING AUTISM SPEAKS, SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1 P.M. EDT ON FOX

Dover’s Sprint Race Ends First Half Of Regular Campaign
Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway marks the halfway point of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. When the checkered flag falls on the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks just 13 races remain until the lineup for this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ is set. A year ago, nine of the top 10 in points leaving Dover qualified for the Chase. Only Kyle Busch (ninth) missed the post season.

Johnson Bids To Unseat Legends As Dover ‘s All-Time Winner
Another record is in defending Dover spring winner Jimmie Johnson’s sights. Last year’s victory was Johnson’s seventh – matching NASCAR Hall of Fame members Bobby Allison and Richard Petty atop the Dover all-time win list. Johnson has led laps in 11 consecutive starts at Dover, eight times in double figures. The current NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader has won the track’s spring race three times and swept both races in 2009.

Penske Personnel’s Return May Aid Wobbling Keselowski
A victory at Dover last September was crucial to Brad Keselowski’s championship run. Right now, Keselowski could use some momentum. His 36th-place finish in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 marked the driver’s first failure to finish since the 2012 Daytona 500. Worse, it dropped the still winless Keselowski to 10th in points. The good news is that the Charlotte race marked the conclusion of crew chief Paul Wolfe and other members of Penske Racing’s parts infraction suspension.

Charging Harvick, Steady Menard Work To End RCR Drought
Richard Childress Racing hasn’t celebrated a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship since Dale Earnhardt won his seventh trophy in 1994. Nineteen seasons later, the drought could be nearing an end. Kevin Harvick’s Coca-Cola 600 victory – the Californian’s second win of 2013 – makes the No. 29 RCR Chevrolet a solid Chase contender in the driver’s final season with Childress. Harvick, seventh in the standings, isn’t RCR’s only championship hopeful. Teammate Paul Menard, who recently extended his contract with Childress, ranks eighth. Each seeks his first win at Dover where RCR’s last victory came in the fall of 2006 by teammate Jeff Burton.

Busch’s Championship Bid Slowed By Inconsistency
It’s been chicken or feathers for Kyle Busch so far in 2013: two victories and three DNFs. Engine failure claimed Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at Charlotte after leading 65 laps – the eighth time in 12 races Busch has headed the field. It dropped Busch out of the top 10 (11th), although his wins give him a solid Chase Wild Card fall back. Busch is a two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Dover winner (spring 2010; fall 2011).

Stewart, Hamlin Clawing Toward Chase Wild Card Eligibility
Neither Tony Stewart nor Denny Hamlin won the Coca-Cola 600 but it was mission accomplished for both. Stewart finished seventh, his best performance of the season and reached 20th in the standings and Wild Card eligibility. Hamlin won the Coors Light Pole, finished fourth and closed to within 53 points of the top 20. Stewart holds two Dover wins but Hamlin has struggled at “The Monster Mile” – eight finishes outside the top 15 in 14 starts. Hamlin’s best Dover finishes are a pair of fourths.

Champions Gordon, Busch Look To Replay Dover Fortunes
Tony Stewart isn’t the only previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion outside the top 10. Jeff Gordon is 16th; Kurt Busch 18th. Gordon, like Keselowski, crashed out of the Coca-Cola 600 while Busch finished third – possibly losing victory when the battery in his No. 79 Furniture Row Chevrolet failed while leading. Like his younger brother Kyle, Busch’s 2013 finishes have been all over the map – three top fives offset by five finishes of 30th or worse. Gordon’s luck has been no better – a pair of thirds and five finishes 20th or worse. Gordon has four Dover victories; Busch one.

Track Facts: 2013 FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2013 Top 12 at Dover International Speedway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Jimmie Johnson	22	3	7	11	16	2	8.6	120.6
2	Carl Edwards	17	0	1	8	12	0	8.3	104.5
3	Matt Kenseth	28	1	2	13	18	4	12.6	107.8
4	Clint Bowyer	14	0	0	1	7	0	13.2	91.1
5	Kasey Kahne	18	0	0	1	5	6	21.4	79.5
6	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	26	0	1	5	8	1	17.2	78.1
7	Kevin Harvick	24	0	0	3	10	1	15.9	81.9
8	Paul Menard	11	0	0	0	1	0	20.2	64.9
9	Martin Truex Jr.	14	2	1	1	6	1	15.6	89.3
10	Brad Keselowski	6	0	1	1	1	0	14.3	83.1
11	Kyle Busch	16	0	2	7	10	3	13.9	104.0
12	Aric Almirola	2	0	0	0	1	0	12.5	84.0

* – Based on last 16 races at Dover International Speedway.

At Dover International Speedway:

History

·         The official opening of Dover International Speedway, then called Dover Downs International Speedway, was in 1969.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on July 6, 1969 – won by Richard Petty.

·         The first two races at Dover were 300 miles. The race length was changed to 500 miles in 1971.

·         The track surface was changed to concrete in 1995.

·         The race length was changed to 400 miles beginning with the second race in 1997.

·         The track name was changed to Dover International Speedway in 2002.

Dover International Speedway Data

Season Race #: 13 of 36 (06-02-13)

Track Size: 1-mile

Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24 degrees

Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 1,076 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,076 feet

Race Length: 400 laps / 400 miles

Top 12 Driver Rating at Dover
Jimmie Johnson	120.6
Matt Kenseth	107.8
Carl Edwards	104.5
Kyle Busch	104.0
Greg Biffle	103.3
Mark Martin	97.0
Kurt Busch	93.4
Jeff Gordon	92.5
Clint Bowyer	91.1
Ryan Newman	89.8
Martin Truex Jr.	89.3
Jeff Burton	87.0

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (16 total) among active drivers at Dover International Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2012 pole winner: Mark Martin, Toyota, 158.297 mph, 22.742 secs. 6-1-12

2012 race winner: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 122.835 mph, (03:15:23), 6-3-12

Track qualifying record: Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge, 161.522 mph, 22.288 secs. 6-6-04

Track race record: Mark Martin, Ford, 132.719 mph, (03:00:50), 9-21-97

Notebook

·         There have been 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Dover International Speedway, one race in 1969 and 1970, two races per year since 1971.

·         371 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway; 268 in more than one.

·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Dover with 56. Mark Martin leads all active drivers with 53 starts; followed by Terry Labonte with 52.

·         David Pearson won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Dover in 1969 with a speed of 130.430 mph.

·         36 drivers have Coors Light Pole Awards at Dover, led by David Pearson with six. Mark Martin leads all active drivers in poles, with five, followed by Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman with four each.

·         Eight drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Dover. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Dover with three; from 1973 to the spring race of 1974.

·         Three active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Dover: Mark Martin (fall 1988 and spring 1989),Bobby Labonte (fall 1996 and spring 1997) and Ryan Newman (fall 2005 and spring 2006).

·         Youngest Dover pole winner: Jeff Gordon (6/4/1995 – 23 years, 10 months, 0 days).

·         Oldest Dover pole winner: Mark Martin (6/1/2012 – 53 years, 4 months, 23 days).

·         34 different drivers have won at Dover International Speedway, led by Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and Jimmie Johnson with seven wins each.

·         12 drivers have posted consecutive wins at Dover International Speedway, including three consecutive by David Pearson (fall 1972 and 1973 sweep), Rusty Wallace (fall 1993 and 1994 sweep) and Jeff Gordon (fall 1995 and 1996 sweep).

·         Youngest Dover winner: Kyle Busch (6/1/2008 – 23 years, 0 months, 30 days).

·         Oldest Dover winner: Harry Gant (5/31/1992 – 52 years, 4 months, 21 days).

·         Hendrick Motorsportshas the most wins at Dover in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 14: Jimmie Johnson(seven), Jeff Gordon (four), Geoff Bodine (one), Ken Schrader (one) and Ricky Rudd (one).

·         Nine different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Dover; led by Chevrolet with 32 victories; followed by Fordwith 25.

·         13 of the 86 (15.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover have been won from the pole position; the two most recent were Jimmie Johnson in 2009 and 2010.

·         The second-place starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Dover International Speedway.

·         28 of the 86 (32.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover have been won from the front row: 13 from the pole and 15 from second place.

·         68 of the 86 (79.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Four of the 86 (4.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Dover was 37th, by Kyle Petty in the spring of 1995.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Dover with eight; followed by Dale Earnhardt with five.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Dover with 24; followed by Dale Earnhardt with 19.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Dover with 32; followed by Richard Petty and Ricky Ruddwith 26 each.

·         Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Dover with a 9.500.

·         Carl Edwards leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Dover with an 8.294; Jimmie Johnson (8.636) is the only other active driver with an average finish in the top 10.

·         15 of the 16 active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners at Dover International Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Jimmie Johnson won at Dover in his first two appearances.

·         Jeff Burton competed at Dover International Speedway 25 times before winning in the fall of 2006; the longest span of any the 16 active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners.

·         Among the 16 active NSCS Dover winners, Jeff Burton (25), Kurt Busch (22), Mark Martin (22), Matt Kenseth(14), Bobby Labonte (13) and Ken Schrader (12) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win.

·         Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Dover without visiting Victory Lane at 37; followed by Kevin Harvick with 24.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring, the closest margin of victory (MOV) in NSCS at Dover was the Sept. 25, 2005 race won by Jimmie Johnson over Kyle Busch with an MOV of 0.08 second.

·         There has been one NASCAR Sprint Cup race resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Dover International Speedway: fall of 2005 - 400/404 (scheduled no. of laps/actual no. of laps).

·         Not one of the 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Dover has been shortened due to weather conditions.

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Dover five times: fall of 1984, spring of 2001, fall of 2003, spring of 2005 and spring of 2011.

·         Four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series active drivers have made their first career start at Dover: Bobby Labonte(6/3/91), Matt Kenseth (9/20/98), Kurt Busch (9/24/00) and David Ragan (9/24/06).

·         Two active drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award at Dover International Speedway: Matt Kenseth (6/2/02) and Michael Waltrip (6/3/1991).

·         One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Dover International Speedway:Martin Truex Jr. (6/4/07).

·         Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Dover with 2,318 in 22 starts.

·         Two female drivers have competed at Dover International Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup: Janet Guthrieand Danica Patrick.

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Janet Guthrie	11	33	9/19/1976
Janet Guthrie	15	11	9/18/1977
Danica Patrick	38	28	9/30/2012

NASCAR in Delaware

·         There have been 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Delaware.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Dover International Speedway	Dover	86

·         Eight drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Delaware; none of the eight have recorded a victory in NASCAR national series competition.