Ward Burton: MBNA 400 preview

DOVER, Del. -- Ward Burton will make his 335th NASCAR Nextel Cup Series start when the green flag drops for the MBNA America 400 at Dover International Speedway.

"Even though it's only a mile, Dover is a really fast track. It's got a lot of banking, it's concrete, it's fast and if you haven't got things figured out by Sunday, you're going to be in for a really long day. Just like every other track, staying out of trouble is always a key there.

"Difference is at Dover, if you hit, you usually hit big. There's no driving down pit road after an accident and making a couple of stops to fix a few problems. More likely, you're headed to the garage for major repairs or to load it on the truck and go home. I've had good days there and I've had more than my share of long days too.

"The good news is, you can pass there, you just have to be patient and pick the right time to do it. Absolutely everything has to be working for you to be really successful at Dover. Once you get it figured out, it's a great place to race and you look forward to going there every time.

"If you've struggled there in the past, this is one of those racetracks you just dread going to. This NetZero Racing team has made steady progress in the last couple of weeks and I think we ought to be able to get there and have a pretty good weekend."