Contender Or Pretender: Dover
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Jimmie Johnson (Contender) –
The performances Jimmie Johnson had at Dover last year should be the definition of domination in NASCAR. Last year he led 569 laps and no other driver even cracked 100. In the spring race Jimmie Johnson posted a perfect 150 driver rating and in the fall race his driver rating was a near perfect 149.2. His average running position in both races last year was 2.1 and he only raced outside the top fifteen for a grand total of 5 laps.
Denny Hamlin (Pretender) – Dover has never been a good track for Denny Hamlin. All of his good finishes are heavily stacked early in his career.The last time Hamlin finished in the top twenty was back in 2007. Last falls race when he finished 22nd snapped his streak of four consecutive finishes outside the top 35.The best race in Hamlin’s career at Dover was the fall 2007 race. It was a good race for him from a competitive standpoint and it created a very memorable YouTube moment.
Jeff Burton (Contender) – Jeff Burton’s been awful in closing races this year. Whether it’s a flat tire or running over equipment in the pit box if Jeff Burton’s going to win a race these things need to stop. Jeff Burton is ready to win and lets remember this was the track where Jeff Burton snapped an old long losing streak. Last year at Dover Burton finished sixteenth in both races. His average finish over the last four years is 9.1.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Pretender) – Throughout his career Dover has never really been a good place for him despite his 2001 win. In the last ten races at Dover Earnhardt Jr. has 1 top five and two top tens. Last year in the spring race he finished 12th and looked competitive at times. In the fall race he was in the top fifteen zero percent of the time and had an average running position of 22nd.
Ryan Newman (Contender) – Newman swept this track in 2003 but the impressive thing is that in the spring race that year he held off Jeff Gordon without power steering. Even in Newman’s bad years at Penske he still could get the job done at Dover. Last year he finished 8th and tenth. His career average finish at Dover is 10.3.
Brian Vickers (Pretender) – Did you know that Brian Vickers hasn’t led a single lap at Dover over the last 5 years? In twelve career races at Dover Vickers has finished in the top ten only once. His average running position last year was 19.8 and his driver rating was 64.1. He completed all but one lap so his numbers are truly representative of how he performed last year on the Monster Mile.
