This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series will be racing on the track known as the “Monster Mile.”
Drivers and teams find racing at Dover International Speedway very challenging. Not only will they be competing with other drivers in the Drydene 400, they will also be competing with the track.
Dover International Speedway is called the “Monster Mile” because of the track’s tendency to wear out tires. The concrete racing surface will destroy tires if the car is not set-up well for handling and/or the driver pushes past the car’s abilities too long. This track has reached legendary status in the NASCAR community even having its own mascot, “Miles the Monster” who is featured on the winner’s trophy.
Here is a look at the data for the track and this weekend’s race.
Dover International Speedway
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 #: 13 of 36 (05-16-21)
Race Length: 311 laps / 311 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 120 laps each
Final Stage Length: 160 laps
Here are the active drivers who have performed the best overall against “Miles the Monster” during their NASCAR Cup Series careers.
Top 12 Dover Driver Ratings
Kyle Busch…………………………. 103.5
Kyle Larson…………………………. 103.3
Martin Truex Jr…………………….. 101.2
Kevin Harvick………………………… 98.6
Brad Keselowski……………………. 93.2
Chase Elliott…………………………. 91.5
Cole Custer………………………….. 89.2
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 88.9
Kurt Busch……………………………. 87.2
Joey Logano…………………………. 86.8
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 84.1
Erik Jones……………………………. 83.3
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (32 total) among active drivers at Dover International Speedway.
There are eight active drivers who have been able to successfully race both the “Monster Mile” and the competition to win in NASCAR’s top division.
Kevin Harvick – 3 Wins
Kyle Busch – 3 Wins
Martin Truex Jr. – 3 Wins
Ryan Newman – 3 Wins
Denny Hamlin – 1 Win
Brad Keselowski – 1 Win
Chase Elliott – 1 Win
Kurt Busch – 1 Win
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Season has had 12 point races that have been won by ten different drivers. Nine of those drivers have visited Victory Lane only a single time during the season.
Martin Truex Jr. is the only multiple-race winner of the season so far. He has scored three victories including a dominating win last Sunday (5/9) at Darlington.
Will Martin score his fourth win at Dove and fourth win of the year to further solidify his name as the championship favorite?
Will another driver score a second win of the season to join Martin as a championship favorite?
Will an 11th driver put his name on the list of winners bringing us ever closer to having 16 drivers with wins heading to the Playoffs for the first time since this format was instated?
“Miles the Monster” will have its say on which story is written when the Drydene 400 begins Sunday, May 16th starting at 1 p.m. central time (2 p.m. eastern time) at Dover International Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
