By David Morgan, Associate Editor
The Monster Mile. Bristol on steroids. No matter the nickname, Dover Motor Speedway lives up to the hype as being one of the most physically demanding racetracks on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit.
One of just a few concrete tracks currently in use by NASCAR’s top division, drivers have likened a lap around the one-mile oval to riding a rollercoaster, as they drop off the straightaways into the turns before rocketing back uphill on corner exit.
By the time the checkered flag flies on Sunday’s running of the Wurth 400, drivers will feel as they had just been through a boxing match with Mike Tyson.
The past six races at the track have seen six different drivers win, with Hendrick Motorsports drivers Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott winning the last two. Bowman will be on the sidelines Sunday after a back injury sustained in a sprint car crash has forced him out of the car. Josh Berry will substitute.
With inclement weather threatening for the 400-lap marathon, NASCAR made the decision to move the start of the race up to 1:00 pm ET in an effort to provide as much time to get the race in should weather move in over the course of the afternoon.
By the Numbers
What: Wurth 400, NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 11 of 36
Where: Dover Motor Speedway – Dover, Delaware (First race: 1969)
When: Sunday, April 30
TV/Radio: FOX Sports 1, 1:00 pm ET / PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
Track Size: 1.0-mile concrete oval
Banking: 24 degrees in turns, nine degrees on straightaways
Race Length: 400 laps, 400 miles
Stage Lengths: First two stages: 120 laps each; Final Stage: 160 laps
2022 Race Winner: Chase Elliott – No. 9 Chevrolet (Started second, 115 laps led)
Track Qualifying Record: Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Ford (21.892 seconds, 164.444 mph – 06/01/2014)
Top-10 Highest Driver Ratings at Dover:
- Kyle Larson – No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 106.0
- Kyle Busch – No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – 102.5
- Martin Truex, Jr. – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – 100.5
- Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford – 98.7
- Chase Elliott – No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 97.1
- Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford – 91.8
- Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – 89.4
- William Byron – No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 85.6
- Joey Logano – No. 22 Team Penske Ford – 85.5
- Ryan…
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