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All but three Chase drivers have won at Dover.By the Numbers: Dover
Monster Mile not too kind to points leaders in Chase
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On the surface, it appears like a good place to be. Kyle Busch set the tone for most of the 26-race regular season, but following Week 1, it was Carl Edwards who emerged on top.
Points-wise, he's tied with Jimmie Johnson. But the edge goes to Edwards by way of his six victories to Johnson's four.
Edwards has had his share of success, so it's not like he walked into the spot without work. But now, heading into the second Chase race -- Sunday's Camping World RV 400 at Dover (1 p.m. ET, ABC) -- it may not be the spot Edwards wants to be in (more on that later).
The positive side of it all: Statistically speaking, Edwards is the best Chaser at Dover's concrete mile.
Chase Drivers at Dover
1. Carl EdwardsIncluding his victory in this race a year ago, Edwards has four consecutive finishes of third or better at Dover. During that span he has recorded all but two of his 200 laps led. He was second there in June.
2. Jimmie JohnsonJohnson swept the races at Dover his rookie year of 2002 and has three victories there, but lately it's been mediocrity. Three of his last four races there have been finishes of 13th, 15th and 14th. He was seventh earlier this year.
3. Greg BiffleFollowing Biffle's victory in June 2005, he finished 13th. Since then he's been on a streak with finishes of eighth or better in the last five Dover races. He was third there earlier this year, leading 164 laps.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.Five of Earnhardt's last seven Dover races have ended in finishes outside the top 10, including an early crash and 35th-place finish in June. He has led 366 laps at Dover, but just two in the last nine races there.
5. Jeff BurtonThe last two Dover races have ended in top-10 finishes for Burton (seventh, eighth), but both times he was one lap down. He won this race two years ago.
6. Denny HamlinIt's feast of famine for Hamlin. His first three Dover starts: 11th, ninth, fourth. His last two Dover starts: 38th, 43rd.
7. Tony StewartStewart swept the 2000 races and scored top-10s in 11 of his first 12 Dover races. Since then, he's cracked the top 10 just once in seven starts (ninth this race last year).
8. Kyle BuschBusch won the June race at Dover this year to end a streak in which he finished third or better in five consecutive races (three victories). His streak entering this Dover race is one that progressively gets worse: seventh (California), 15th (Richmond) and 34th (New Hampshire).
9. Clint BowyerConsecutive eighth-place finishes at Dover have been followed by a 12th-place run in this race a year ago and a 36th-place finish in June. Bowyer has led two laps at Dover.
10. Kevin HarvickA third-place finish in the June 2006 race is the highlight of Harvick's Dover career. Since then he has failed to finish better than 20th.
11. Jeff GordonGordon has four victories and a series-high 2,201 laps led at Dover, but his last victory there came in 2001. He has finished 12th or better in the last five races there.
12. Matt KensethIt's been up and down lately for Kenseth at Dover with the following finishes in the last six races: 35th, first, 10th, fifth, 35th, fourth.
Five Chase Facts
0Times a driver has entered the Dover Chase race with the points lead and left Dover with the points lead during the Chase era (2004-present).
5Points finish for Jimmie Johnson in 2005, the highest finish in the standings by a driver who won the Dover Chase race.
12Victories in the last 17 Dover races by drivers who make up this year's Chase field. Jimmie Johnson had all three of his Dover victories during that span.
21.0Average finish for Denny Hamlin in five starts at Dover, the worst among drivers in the Chase field. Carl Edwards' 8.3 average finish is the best and only average of 10th or better.
1,487Points scored by Greg Biffle in the last 10 Dover races, more than any other driver.
Non-Chase Nugget
2Drivers not in the Chase who have more than one victory at Dover. Mark Martin has four victories at the track, his most recent coming in the 2004 June race. Ryan Newman has three there, all coming in a four-race span between in 2003 and 2004.
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Dover International Speedway
Chase Driver Statistics
| Pos. | Driver | Starts | Wins | Avg. Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Carl Edwards | 8 | 1 | 8.3 |
| 2. | Jimmie Johnson | 13 | 3 | 11.5 |
| 3. | Greg Biffle | 12 | 1 | 12.1 |
| 4. | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 17 | 1 | 16.9 |
| 5. | Jeff Burton | 29 | 1 | 16.7 |
| 6. | Denny Hamlin | 5 | 0 | 21.0 |
| 7. | Tony Stewart | 19 | 2 | 12.2 |
| 8. | Kyle Busch | 7 | 1 | 10.3 |
| 9. | Clint Bowyer | 5 | 0 | 16.2 |
| 10. | Kevin Harvick | 15 | 0 | 19.3 |
| 11. | Jeff Gordon | 31 | 4 | 12.1 |
| 12. | Matt Kenseth | 19 | 1 | 14.7 |
Chase finishes for Dover winners
| Year | Driver | Chase Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Ryan Newman | 7th |
| 2005 | Jimmie Johnson | 5th |
| 2006 | Jeff Burton | 7th |
| 2007 | Carl Edwards | 9th |
Sprint Cup Series
Official Standings
| Pos. | +/- | Driver | Points | Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | +1 | Carl Edwards | 5220 | Leader |
| 2. | +1 | Jimmie Johnson | 5220 | Leader |
| 3. | +6 | Greg Biffle | 5190 | -30 |
| 4. | -- | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 5170 | -50 |
| 5. | +2 | Jeff Burton | 5170 | -50 |
| 6. | -- | Denny Hamlin | 5148 | -72 |
| 7. | +1 | Tony Stewart | 5147 | -73 |
| 8. | -7 | Kyle Busch | 5146 | -74 |
| 9. | -4 | Clint Bowyer | 5137 | -83 |
| 10. | +1 | Kevin Harvick | 5134 | -86 |
| 11. | -1 | Jeff Gordon | 5121 | -99 |
| 12. | -- | Matt Kenseth | 5043 | -177 |
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