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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Apache Warrior 400 Presented by Lucas Oil
The Place: Dover International Speedway
The Date: Sunday, Oct. 1
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 400 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 120),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 240), Final Stage (Ends on lap 400)
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Heads To Dover For Playoff Cutoff Race
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series travels to Dover International Speedway Sunday for the Round of 16 Playoffs cutoff race – the Apache Warrior 400 presented by Lucas Oil (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The lowest four drivers in points without a win in the Round of 16 will be eliminated following the race.
Four drivers have clinched a spot in the Round of 12: Martin Truex Jr. (clinched with Chicagoland win), Kyle Larson (clinched on points at New Hampshire), Kyle Busch (clinched with win at New Hampshire, and Brad Keselowski (clinched with points at New Hampshire).
Truex is the defending race winner at Dover, while Jimmie Johnson won the June race at the Monster Mile.
No non-Playoff driver has ever won a postseason race at Dover.
Jimmie Johnson Attempts To Add To Dover Track Record With 12th Win
Jimmie Johnson will attempt to defend his June Dover victory and add to his track victories record with a 12th checkered flag on Sunday. But more importantly, a win will advance Johnson to the Round of 12 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as he chases another record – eight championships.
If Johnson wins this weekend, he will join NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip as the only three Monster Energy Series drivers to win 12 or more races at a single track. Petty did it three times (Martinsville – 15 wins, North Wilkesboro – 15 and Richmond – 13), while Waltrip did it once (Bristol – 12 wins).
In 31 starts at Dover, Johnson boasts 11 wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s and a 9.3 average finish. His 7.7 average running position and 118.3 driver rating rank at the top of the Monster Mile statistical lists among active drivers.
The No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet driver sits seventh on the Playoff Grid, 32 points ahead of Austin Dillon on the cutoff line for a spot in the Monster Energy NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12.
Johnson finished 14th at New Hampshire last weekend.
Martin Truex Jr. Tries To Defend Playoff Victory At Home Track
Martin Truex Jr. has already clinched a spot in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 via his win at Chicagoland. Still, he’d like to defend his Dover Playoff victory from last season. Truex, from nearby Mayetta, New Jersey, would like to win again in front of his hometown fans and add five more playoff points to his series-leading total of 59.
The No. 78 Furniture Row Racing driver won his first career race at Dover in 2007. In 23 career starts at the Monster Mile, he has two wins, three top fives, 12 top 10s and a 13.7 average finish. He placed third at the one-mile track in June after leading 102 laps.
Truex leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in wins (5), top 10s (19), stage wins (19), playoff points (59), average finish (10.5), average running position (7.7), fastest laps (1,169, 17.3%), laps led (2,068, 25.4%) and driver rating (112.4).
Austin Dillon vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. vs. Ryan Newman
With the lowest four winless drivers in points falling out of the playoffs following Sunday’s Apache Warrior 400, one of the biggest parts of the event will be the races within the race.
Right now, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. owns the final transfer spot. He’s tied with Austin Dillon in points, but holds the tiebreaker right now with a better high Round of 16 finish – 15th at New Hampshire compared to Dillon’s 16th at Chicagoland.
Ryan Newman trails Stenhouse and Dillon by a mere one point. We’ve seen what Newman can do when it comes to tight points racing. In 2014, he bumped Kyle Larson on the final lap at Phoenix to gain an extra point to make the Championship 4. Newman finished second in the final championship standings that season without winning a race.
Both Dillon and Stenhouse have career-high finishes of eighth at Dover. Otherwise, neither driver has a top 10 there.
Newman might be in the best position of the three drivers. In 31 starts at Dover, he owns three wins, seven top fives, 14 top 10s and a 13.6 average finish. He placed fourth at the Monster Mile in June.
With points at a premium, plan on all three drivers to push the envelope during every stage instead of sitting back to try to get a strong final finish.
Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne Could Use A Win At Dover
Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne, 17 and 21 points below the cutoff line, respectively, for advancement to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16, can still advance on points, but likely need a win at Dover to advance in the postseason.
Busch won at Dover in 2011, but has only one top-10 finish at the Monster Mile since then.
Kahne has never won at Dover, but has three top fives and eight top 10s in 27 starts there. He has finished sixth or better in three of his last five races at the one-mile track.
