This week the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams will face a Monster challenge in the AAA 400 Drive For Autism at Dover International Speedway.
Dover’s nickname of the “Monster Mile” is quite appropriate for NASCAR’s top division considering the name sponsor of the cup series, Monster Energy. Dover earned that nickname because of the challenge of racing around the one-mile concrete surface of the track. That rough racing surface grinds through tires and not only requires the teams to replace them as often as possible during the race, it can also cause a car to get out of control resulting in a crash that ends the chance a driver will be there at the end of the race with a chance to win.
Here is a look at some track and race data for this week.
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
AAA 400 Drive For Autism Data
Season Race #: 11 of 36 (05-06-18)
Race Length: 400 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 120 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 160 laps
Let’s take a look at which active drivers have risen to the challenge of the “Monster Mile” during their NASCAR Cup Series careers.
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Dover
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 118.0
Chase Elliott……………………….. 107.6
Kyle Busch…………………………. 105.8
Kyle Larson………………………… 102.6
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 97.2
Daniel Suarez……………………….. 92.7
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 91.6
Erik Jones……………………………. 90.4
Brad Keselowski……………………. 89.8
Kurt Busch…………………………… 89.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (26 total) among active drivers at Dover Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson is the only possible “Master of the Monster Mile.” He is the all-time leader for NASCAR Cup Series wins at Dover having claimed 11 “Miles the Monster” trophies including the given out after this race last year.
To give you an idea of how far ahead of the rest of the class Jimmie is, the next closest active drivers in Dover wins are Kyle Busch who won the 2017 fall race at the track to bring his career total to three wins matching Ryan Newman.
Martin Truex Jr. has two “Miles the Monsters” in his trophy case at home.
Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick are the only other active drivers who has won at Dover and each have a single victory at the track.
What cars will manage to make it to the end of the race with a shot at winning? What cars will the “Monster Mile” claim during the course of the race? It will all unfold after the green flag waives to start the AAA 400 Drive for Autism Sunday afternoon, May 6th at 1 PM central time (2 PM eastern time) at Dover International Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
