Drivers to watch at Dover Motor Speedway – NBC Sports
The NASCAR Cup Series moves from the high banks of Talladega to the high banks of Dover this weekend.
Two drivers — Ryan Blaney[1] and Martin Truex Jr.[2] — seek to end long winless streaks. They have very different records at Dover Motor Speedway
Blaney hasn’t won a points race in 56 events. At Dover, he has finished on the lead lap only five times in 12 races.
Truex hasn’t won in 54 consecutive races but rolls into Dover with a solid past. He owns three career wins and has had top-five finishes in eight of the past 11 races there.
A look at drivers to watch at Dover:
FRONTRUNNERS
- Points position: 3rd
- Best seasonal finish: 5th (Auto Club, Phoenix 1, Richmond 1)
- Past at Dover: Three wins
Harvick, making what is expected to be his final Cup start at Dover, has an excellent record at the track. He won there in 2015, ’18 and ’20 and has eight consecutive top-10 finishes.
- Points position: 4th
- Best seasonal finish: 1st (Richmond 1, Martinsville 1)
- Past at Dover: Six top threes in 14 starts, including a win in 2019
Larson has won two of the season’s past four races and has had success at Dover with four consecutive finishes of sixth or better, including a victory.
- Points position: 31st
- Best seasonal finish: 2nd (Auto Club)
- Past at Dover: Wins in 2018 and ’22, ran in the top five in 586 of the past 800 laps at the track
Elliott, in search of the race win that will put him in playoff contention, has scored finishes of 10th and 12th since returning from a leg injury. He has led 394 laps in the past nine races at Dover, a track where he has two straight top-three runs.
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
Martin Truex Jr.
- Points position: 7th
- Best seasonal finish: 3rd (Martinsville 1)
- Past at Dover: Wins in 2007, 2016, 2019
Truex has battled through a tough season in which he has had excellent runs but has failed to produce a race win. Dover, where he has eight top-five finishes in the past 11 races, including a pair of wins, could be a salve.
- Points position: 11th
- Best seasonal finish: 1st (Atlanta 1)
- Past at Dover: Top finish is third, three times
Logano has had a rollercoaster season, with finishes of first and second (twice) sprinkled among finishes of 36th, 37th and 30th. He has made 26 career starts at Dover without a victory, his longest career drought.
- Points position: 2nd
- Best seasonal finish: 3rd (Auto Club, Richmond 1)
- Past at Dover: Led 86 laps at the Monster Mile last year
Chastain is looking for his first win of the season after registering three finishes of 13th or worse in the past three races.