The NASCAR Playoffs move forward in the Round of 12 at Dover International Speedway in the Drydene 400 after four drivers were eliminated from championship contention.
Following last week’s elimination race on the ROVAL at Charlotte, Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Erik Jones were all eliminated from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship contention. The twelve drivers that remain in the active NASCAR post-season hunt had their points reset and Playoff Points added to their totals. They now have three races to earn a spot in the next round of the NASCAR Playoffs.
The first chance to win and earn the automatic advance in this round will be on the track nicknamed the “Monster Mile.” That name tells even people unfamiliar with NASCAR this will not be an easy task. Here is what all drivers and teams will be dealing with equally.
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
Drydene 400 Data
Season Race #: 30 of 36 (10-06-19)
Race Length: 400 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 120 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 160 laps
In this race the playoff drivers and non-playoff drivers will be racing the track just as much as each other. They have to be aggressive enough to get in front and stay in front. However, they also have to be cautious enough to not destroy their tires on a track that loves to destroy tires. Ruin your tires and the track will ruin your chances in the race.
Here are the top active drivers that have been able to find that overall balance between aggressive and conservative racing more times than not in their NASCAR Cup Series careers.
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Dover
Jimmie Johnson …………………….. 113.3
Chase Elliott ………………………….. 108.3
Kyle Busch ……………………………. 104.6
Kyle Larson …………………………… 100.6
Martin Truex Jr. ………………………. 99.0
Kevin Harvick …………………………. 96.0
Brad Keselowski ……………………… 92.9
Clint Bowyer ……………………………. 90.1
Daniel Suarez …………………………. 89.9
Kurt Busch ……………………………… 89.4
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2019 races (29 total) among active drivers at Dover Motor Speedway. Driver names in RED above are currently in championship contention in the playoffs.
Finishing the race well and winning the race is very different on the “Monster Mile.” Here are the active drivers who have won a cup series race at Dover.
Active NASCAR Cup Series Drivers with Dover Win(s)
Jimmie Johnson – 11 Wins
Kyle Busch – 3 Wins
Ryan Newman – 3 Wins
Martin Truex Jr. – 3 Wins (including May 2019 race)
Kevin Harvick – 2 Wins
Brad Keselowski – 1 Win
Chase Elliott – 1 Win (this race last year)
Kurt Busch – 1 Win
Note: Driver names in RED above are currently in championship contention in the playoffs.
Can Martin Truex Jr. sweep the 2019 “Monster Mile” races to start this round in the post-season with a win like he did in the Round of 16?
Will Chase Elliott win back-to-back “Monster Mile” Playoff races to advance this year like he did last year?
Perhaps Jimmie Johnson can break his long streak without a win and play spoiler to the drivers still in contention in the post-season.
What story will be told will be revealed on the “Monster Mile” lap-by-lap starting at 1:30 PM central time (2:30 PM eastern time) in the Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway this Sunday, October 6th.
By: Buck Stevens
