The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves to Dover International Speedway's concrete palace for the 28th race of the 2008 season, The Camping World RV 400. We took a look at past performances, practice sessions, season trends, and talked to NASCAR contacts to predict how the field should finish on Sunday.
When: Sunday, September 21, 2008; 2:17 p.m./et
Weather: Sunny with a high around 73; wind out of the NE at 12 mph. Chance of precipitation 10%.
The Track: Dover International Speedway
Dover is a one mile concrete oval with 24 degree banking in the turns and nine degree banking on the straightaways.
Key to Race: THE MONSTER MILE
Dover International Speedway is the "Monster Mile". The high-banked concrete track allows drivers to run at very fast speeds. Getting the proper car setup is very tricky, so multiple-car teams have an even bigger advantage then normal. Look for Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing to lock up a majority of the top 10.
Sports
Qualifying Procedures:
46 cars will attempt to qualify for 43 spots. Cars not in the top 35 in the 2008 point standings will have to qualify based on speed. Starting positions 1-43 will be determined by a two lap qualifying run on Friday, September 19 at 3:00 pm/et.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet:
Top 5
No. 18 Kyle Busch: Busch won the June race and has finished in the top five in five of his six career Cup races at Dover. This is the perfect track for his aggressive driving style.
No. 99 Carl Edwards: Edwards won last year's September race at Dover and has finished in the top five in the past four races at Dover. He is a great pick to crack the top five again this week.
No. 24 Jeff Gordon: Gordon has four career wins at Dover and has cracked the top 12 in his last five starts at the track. He is a great pick.
No. 16 Greg Biffle: Biffle won the June 2005 race at Dover and has led laps in six of the past seven races at the track. He should be in the lead group all day.
No. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has three career wins at Dover and eight top 10 finishes in 13 starts. He should crack the top five on Sunday.
6 to 10
No. 1 Martin Truex Jr.: Truex Jr. won the June 2007 race at Dover and has been great at the place he considers his home track. He is a terrific pick this weekend.
No. 31 Jeff Burton: Burton has cracked the top 15 in 12 of the past 13 Dover races. He is a great pick this weekend.
No. 17 Matt Kenseth: Kenseth won the June 2006 race at The Monster Mile and will be in the lead group all day. He will be strong this weekend.
No. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has cracked the top 20 just two times in the past seven races at Dover. He will be fast, but a top five finish isn't expected.
No. 07 Clint Bowyer: Bowyer has finished between eighth and 17th in four of his five career starts at Dover. He should finish around there again this weekend.
11 to 20
No. 11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin had been very successful at Dover in his career prior to the past two races when he finished 38th and 43rd. He should return to the top 15 this weekend.
No. 12 Ryan Newman: Newman has been excellent at Dover during his career. In 12 Cup starts he has three wins and is always a contender to win the pole. We like his chances this weekend.
No. 20 Tony Stewart: Stewart has cracked the top 15 just once in his last seven races at Dover. This is a rare weekend we don't recommend Smoke.
No. 6 David Ragan: The new UPS spokesman, Ragan, has cracked the top 25 in his last three starts at Dover. He is worth using this weekend.
No. 26 Jamie McMurray: McMurray has had success at Dover in the past. This is the weekend to use the No. 26 driver.
No. 9 Kasey Kahne: Kahne has cracked the top 10 just one time in nine career starts at Dover. He isn't a terrific pick this weekend.
No. 5 Casey Mears: Mears has cracked the top 25 in his past eight starts at Dover. This is a good weekend to use No. 5.
No. 29 Kevin Harvick: Harvick hasn't led a lap at Dover since 2003 and has finished out of the top 10 in seven of the last eight races at the track. He will struggle to finish in the top 15 this weekend.
No. 2 Kurt Busch: Busch has always qualified excellent at Dover, but his success once the green flies at the track is limited. He is worth taking a flier on in deep leagues.
21 to 30
No. 8 Mark Martin: Dover is one of Mark Martin's favorite tracks. He has 20 top five finishes during his career and was one of the best drivers at the "Monster Mile" in 2007.
No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya has looked great the past two races at Dover. He won't crack the top 15 again, but a top 25 finish should be expected.
No. 19 Elliott Sadler: Sadler has seven top 20 finishes in his last 10 starts at Dover, but he isn't worth using as anything more than a fifth driver on fantasy teams.
No. 83 Brian Vickers: Vickers has averaged a 20th place finish at Dover in his career. He is another sleeper option this weekend.
No. 44 David Reutimann: Reutimann has averaged a 23rd place finish at Dover during his career. His average is about where we see him finishing this weekend.
No. 22 Dave Blaney: Blaney has been great the past two races at Dover. He is a great choice in the deepest fantasy leagues this weekend.
No. 28 Travis Kvapil: Kvapil had a great run at Dover in June. He is worth using as a fifth driver in most fantasy leagues.
No. 43 Bobby Labonte: Labonte has finished in the top 20 in three of the past five races at Dover. He is a decent value pick on Sunday.
No. 15 Paul Menard: Menard has finished 21st and 22nd in his first two trips to Dover. He will be doing well to match those finishes this weekend.
No. 38 David Gilliland: Gilliland should crack the top 30 on Sunday.
31 to 36
No. 7 Robby Gordon: Gordon has cracked the top 20 in the past three races at Dover, but since consistency has never been one of Robby's better qualities we don't see him making it four in a row.
No. 55 Michael Waltrip: Waltrip has finished in the top 30 in 11 of his past 13 races at Dover. He will be doing well to finish in the top 30 again this weekend.
No. 41 Reed Sorenson: Sorenson has led 41 laps in the past four races at Dover, but we have zero confidence in him. He should finish around 30th on Sunday.
No. 77 Sam Hornish Jr.: Hornish Jr. will have to make the field during qualifying. He isn't a fantasy option.
No. 84 AJ Allmendinger: Allmendinger has never cracked the top 30 at Dover. He isn't an option this weekend.
No. 66 Scott Riggs: Riggs hasn't had much success during his career at Dover. He isn't a fantasy option.
Brownie's Picks
Top Four:
1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Greg Biffle
Sleepers:
1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Jamie McMurray
Busts:
