The NASCAR drivers and teams will have their hands full this week as the battle ground is the “Monster Mile” at Dover International Speedway in the Gander RV 400.
Part of the reason the track at Dover is nicknamed the “Monster Mile” is because it is made of concrete. That surface just eats away at tires, even on a car that is handling good. If the car is not well-balanced in its set-up … the track just destroys those tires and makes the situation even worse.
Another reason for the nickname is that Dover International Speedway may be a mile around, but it races more like a track half the size. Again, that requires a good handling car if a driver wants to even have a chance at being competitive in the race.
Here is a look at the data for the track and race this weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams will be dealing with.
Dover International Speedway Data
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,076 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,076 feet
Gander RV 400 Data
Season Race #: 11 of 36 (05-05-19)
Race Length: 400 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 120 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 160 laps
Here are the active drivers that top the list in driver rating on the “Monster Mile.”
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Dover
Jimmie Johnson ……………………. 114.4
Kyle Busch …………………………… 105.2
Chase Elliott …………………………. 105.0
Kyle Larson ……………………………. 99.1
Martin Truex Jr. ………………………. 97.8
Kevin Harvick …………………………. 95.2
Brad Keselowski ……………………… 92.4
Daniel Suarez …………………………. 92.2
Kurt Busch ……………………………… 90.0
Clint Bowyer …………………………… 89.8
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races (28 total) among active drivers at Dover Motor Speedway.
The active drivers that have won on the “Monster Mile” in their NASCAR Cup Series careers are:
Jimmie Johnson – 11 wins (most all-time at Dover)
Kyle Busch – 3 wins
Ryan Newman – 3 wins
Kevin Harvick – 2 wins (including this race in 2018)
Martin Truex Jr. – 2 wins
Chase Elliott – 1 win (2018 fall race winner at Dover)
Brad Keselowski – 1 win
Kurt Busch – 1 win
No matter which driver ends in Victory Lane this week you can be assured of two things. Number one, that driver will have earned the win driving hard from start to finish. Number two, that driver will owe a lot of credit to his crew chief and pit crew for setting the car properly to have the chance to win.
We will find out who that driver is Sunday, May 5th starting at 1 PM central time (2 PM eastern time) in the Gander RV 400 at Dover International Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
