NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series will be bringing their high energy brand of tail gate party to the “Monster Mile” also known as the Dover International Speedway for the running of the Dover 200 this Friday night. The tightly wound one mile all concrete oval is known for challenging both drivers and crew chiefs and it’s also known as being a haven for first time series winners.
THE STORY BREAKDOWN
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series each year races on three concrete ovals: Bristol, Nashville and Dover. When you look at which series drivers has the best performance on concrete you’re looking at the cream of the crop. That list includes Ron Hornaday Jr, Kyle Busch, Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson. Their driver ratings, and overall numbers, for the trio of concrete ovals are extremely healthy. This is especially true of Busch and Hornaday who are both former winners at Dover.
NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Elliot Sadler will be making his second appearance of the year in the truck series. Sadler will once again drive the #2 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. Best Buy’s Insignia brand will be the primary sponsor.
Both of the KHI trucks, for Sadler and Ron Hornaday Jr, will also carry the Autism Speaks Puzzle Piece logo on their trucks. This is a very personal cause for Sadler and his family. His niece, Halie, is autistic.
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Former series champion Johnny Benson will be making his third start of the season in the #15 Red Top Collector Auto Auction Toyota for Billy Ballew Motorsports. So far this has been a very good match up. Benson has double top five finishes in his first two starts. It’s safe to assume that team owner Ballew is searching for a full time sponsorship situation that will keep Benson in his truck.
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The Raybestos Brakes Rookie Of The Year battle is tight with only 16 points between the top four drivers. Austin Dillon, #3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats/Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, remains on top of the current standings going into Friday night. However he only holds a ten point advantage over Justin Lofton, driver of the #7 Visit Pit.Com Toyota for owner Tom Deloach. Holding down third in the rookie standings is Brett Butler, driver of the #47 Fuel Doctor.Com Chevrolet for owner Bobby Dotter. Fourth in the standings, and only 16 points from the top, is Jennifer Jo Cobb, driver of the #10 Ford Driven Male.Com/Driver Boutique.Com Ford owned by Tom Mitchell.
The standings in the series’ Owner’s Championships for the moment is a battle between Chevrolets fielded by Kevin Harvick Inc and the Toyotas from Kyle Busch Motorsports. KHI currently holds a slim nine point lead over the Busch teams.
In the series’ Manufacturers Championship Chevrolet and Toyota are tied with 36 points each. Ford and Dodge are tied for third with 19 points apiece. By the way, Dodge leads all manufacturers in wins at Dover with four.
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At least four of the teams will depart Dover-Delaware for Pocono-Pennsylvania this weekend for NASCAR mandated testing. The series will be running its first ever event, on the massive 2.5 mile triangle shaped speedway, July 31st.
The teams participating in Monday morning’s test include Germain Racing, Green Light Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. The four teams will provide baseline information for the entire series.
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THE RACE BREAKDOWN
The Dover 200 is 200 challenging laps around the “Monster Mile’s” one mile concrete oval.
The race has 35 entries for an event that can handle 36 starters. That means the go or go home owner’s points policy will not apply for this race and all entries will start the event.
The track has a tendency to favor first time winners. The last two races there has sent a first timer to victory lane. Brian Scott is the defending race champion from last year.
Friday night’s Dover 200 will be the 11th appearance at the track by the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. There are no repeat winners at Dover for the series. The last ten races has produced ten different winners.
Track position is often based on exiting pit road and not necessarily starting position. In ten years only two truck races have been won from the pole position. The last one to do it was Scott Riggs back in 2001.
The areas of the track worthy of a lot of attention is turns one and two. The drivers come off of the front stretch carrying a lot of speed into turn one. Turn two is a traditional trouble area for the drivers and has often been the scene of multiple truck crashes. Double wide racing is frequent at Dover and, with enough rubber on the track, there has been multiple cases of three wide racing.
Dover is also known for close finishes in this series. The closest finish in the Camping World Truck Series there was 0.210 seconds when Kyle Busch won the race in 2000.
The Dover 200 will be broadcast live Friday night, beginning at 730 pm eastern time, on the SPEED Channel.
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