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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
CUP: Edwards Has Numbers At Dover
Carl Edwards has the best average finish of any Chase driver at Dover International Raceway...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted September 22, 2009   Charlotte, NC
Carl Edwards will be be a strong contender in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway this weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Chase for the Sprint Cup moves from New England to the Atlantic Seaboard for Sunday’s AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, race No. 2 of 10 in NASCAR’s playoff round.

The “Monster Mile” is one of the most difficult tracks on the NASCAR circuit, a 1-mile concrete oval where David Reutimann claimed the pole in the spring race at more than 156 miles per hour.

The 24-degree banking in the corners makes the track so fast. And the exit of Turn 2 and onto the backstretch is a place where accidents tend to happen, often ensnaring big packs of cars in the process. Things happen quickly here, and when they do, they tend to not end well.

Of the 12 Chase drivers entered in Sunday’s race, Carl Edwards has the best Dover finishing average by a wide margin. His 7.600 average easily bests the 10.333 posted by Ryan Newman.

Three-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson won here in the spring, when he put a drubbing on the field. Here’s how the 12 Chase drivers compare heading into Dover this time around:

1. MARK MARTIN, Hendrick Motorsports — Dover International Speedway is one of the points leader’s favorite tracks and the numbers bear that out: Four of Martin’s 40 career Sprint Cup wins have come at the Monster Mile, where he has a finishing average of 12.696 and has led an amazing 1,720 laps.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON, Hendrick Motorsports (-35 points) — Last time here, Johnson crushed the field, leading 298 of 400 laps to win his fourth race at Dover. He has an excellent finishing average of 10.400 here. Without doubt, he’ll be tough again this weekend, as he hopes to move into contention for a fourth consecutive title.

3. DENNY HAMLIN, Joe Gibbs Racing (-35) — If Hamlin is to mount a serious charge for the championship, he and his team will have to step up big at Dover, historically one of his worst tracks. In seven Dover starts, is average finish is a mediocre 25.571.

4. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (-55) — Dover hasn’t been a great track for the Colombian, either, as his average finish here is 24.400. In five starts, Montoya has never finished better than 10th at Dover, and likely will have to improve on that this time if he wants to keep pace with the leaders.

5. KURT BUSCH, Penske Racing (-65) — Busch has a best finish of fourth at Dover in 18 prior starts. His average finish here is 20.500, so he and crew chief Pat Tryson have work to do if they want to post a good finish.


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