Yahoo! Qualification Story

Starting up front is important on a rhythm track. Check out this five-page summary (.pdf) of who's hot at Dover after qualification for the Autism Speaks 400.

N'Wide: Dover's last five races

If you're wondering why Roush-Fenway Racing has been so strong on Sundays lately, it's because they've been warming up on Saturday. Matt Kenseth didn't run either race last year, but his position atop the last five races average grid is significant nonetheless because it highlights the strength of the organization. Look a little further down the list and you will find Carl Edwards, who despite a 26th in fall 2006, still has a better than 10th-place average finish on the strength of one victory, a runner-up finish and four consecutive results of sixth or better. Cross reference that with his five consecutive top-fives in Cup, and you have found your favorite this week.

Clint Bowyer also swept the top-10 in Nationwide competition last year, and will be one of the strongest Cup "Claim Jumpers" in the field.

Mike Bliss was in the right place at the right time last week to win the rain-shortened Carquest Auto Parts 300, but he's been hovering around the head of the pack on a weekly basis. And he's likely to do so again with a second last fall and three top-10s in his last four starts at Dover. If he does not take top honors among the Nationwide regulars, chances are good that Brad Keselowski will. He's finished seventh or better in his last three starts on the concrete high banks in Delaware.

Results, last five years

Driver	Avg Finish	2008.2	2008.1	2007.2	2007.1	2006.2
Matt Kenseth	3.33			3	5	2
Casey Mears	4.00				4
Clint Bowyer	6.67	10	9			1
David Stremme	7.00	11	3
Carl Edwards	8.00	5	2	6	1	26
Mike Bliss	8.25	2	18	4	9
Denny Hamlin	10.00	6	1	1	2	40
Joey Logano	10.00	14	6
Greg Biffle	10.00		5	9	18	8
Michael Waltrip	10.00					10
Brad Keselowski	10.25	3	7	7	24
Kasey Kahne	11.00		10		12
Bobby Labonte	11.00			11
David Reutimann	11.50	17	4	10	15
Scott Wimmer	11.80	4	12	29	3	11
Kyle Busch	12.00	1	28			7
Scott Riggs	12.00					12
Reed Sorenson	12.67			5	27	6
Bobby Hamilton Jr	12.75	15	14	12	10
Todd Kluever	13.00					13
Kevin Harvick	13.75	28	17		7	3
Jason Keller	14.00	19	16	8	13
Juan Montoya	14.00				14
Dario Franchitti	15.00		15
Ken Schrader	15.00					15
Sterling Marlin	15.00			15
Jason Leffler	16.00	7	27	30	11	5
Josh Wise	16.00	13	19
Martin Truex Jr	16.00			2		30
Martin Truex Jr	16.00			2		30
Chase Miller	16.00			16
Ward Burton	17.00				17
J J Yeley	17.00				25	9
Mike Wallace	17.60	12	8	13	33	22
Jamie McMurray	18.00	8		40	20	4
Marcos Ambrose	18.00	16	30	20	6
Dave Blaney	18.33			23	16	16
Steve Wallace	18.80	18	11	22	22	21
Jeff Burton	19.00				19
John Andretti	19.00					19
Patrick Carpentier	20.00	20
Stacy Compton	20.00					20
Kevin Hamlin	21.00	21
Kenny Wallace	21.00	29	20			14
A J Allmendinger	21.00			21
Tony Raines	21.50			35	8
Casey Atwood	21.50			14		29
Regan Smith	21.50				26	17
Kelly Bires	22.00	34	13	19
Landon Cassill	22.67	25	25	18
Brandon Whitt	23.00	23
Sam Hornish Jr	23.00		23
D J Kennington	23.00				23
David Ragan	24.00	9	29	32	32	18
Tim McCreadie	24.00			24
Stanton Barrett	24.25	27	21	17		32
Ashton Lewis	25.00					25
Eric McClure	26.00	24	26	26	28
Auggie Vidovich	27.00					27
Kyle Krisiloff	27.50			34	21
Richard Johns	28.00			28
Tim Sauter	28.00					28
David Gilliland	29.00				29
Derrike Cope	29.67	32	24			33
Morgan Shepherd	30.00	22	22	38	38
John Wes Townley	30.00	30
Kevin Conway	30.00				30
Danny Efland	31.00	26		36
Scott Lagasse Jr	31.00	31
Jay Sauter	31.00					31
Travis Kvapil	31.00				31
Robby Gordon	31.00			31
Robert Richardson	31.50			27	36
Bryan Clauson	32.00	33	31
Johnny Sauter	32.00	40				24
Stephen Leicht	32.67			41	34	23
Brett Rowe	33.00		33
Carl Long	33.00			33
Donnie Neuenberger	35.00	43	34	25	39	34
Shane Hall	35.00					35
Larry Gunselman	36.00	36
Shane Huffman	36.50				37	36
Brad Coleman	37.00		32	42
Paul Menard	37.00					37
Marc Mitchell	37.00			37
Kertus Davis	38.00	37	36			41
Kevin Lepage	38.00	39	35		40
J C Stout	38.00		38
Jon Wood	38.00					38
Johnny Chapman	38.50	38	39
Burney Lamar	38.67	35	42			39
Brent Sherman	39.00			43	35
Brad Teague	39.50		37		42
Kenny Hendrick	40.50	41	40
Terry Cook	41.00		41
Mike Harmon	41.00		43	39
Jerick Johnson	41.00				41
Justin Hobgood	42.00	42
Sean Caisse	42.00					42
Chris Wimmer	43.00					43
Randy MacDonald	43.00				43
Dominick Casola	44.00		44

Four go home from Dover

Four drivers failed to qualify at Dover for the Autism Speaks 400. They are Brad Keselowski, Max Papis, Derrike Cope and David Starr.

Our View: That's a bit of a shocker were Keselowski and Papis are concerned. This is the first race in 2009 that the No. 13 has failed to make.

Reutimann on Dover Cup pole

David Reutimann picked up where he left off last week—at the head of the field. The No. 00 won the pole with a speed of 156.794 mph.

Our View: No one can say that he backed into this result. Starting up front is crucial at Dover, so this gives him good odds to finish in the top 10.

Gordon crashes in quals

Jeff Gordon has crashed in qualification and will likely have to roll out a backup car.

Our View: Last year, Jimmie Johnson overcame a crash in practice, so it can be done. In fact, with the new pit road – it should be slightly easier.

Charlotte was final straw for Hendrick/Jr.

According Brian Whitesell, Charlotte's disappointing result was the final straw for Rick Hendrick in his decision to replace Tony Eury Jr. In a press conference this week, he said: “The race at Charlotte [was the final straw], we did not get the result there that we were looking for. The decision was made by Mr. Hendrick that it was time for a change and that’s the reason it happened this week."

Our View: His 40th-place finish was bad enough, but worse still, the No. 88 was never in contention.

N'Wide: McDowell admits "monster" is scary

Heading into the weekend's Nationwide race, Michael McDowell admits that Dover International Speedway can be a little intimidating, saying "“The ‘Monster Mile’ is a bit more scary than the monster statue out front, for sure. I was a little intimidated the first time I came here in the Cup car. We ran decent, but most importantly, I learned a lot about racing the track and being comfortable in the seat. Dover is most like a high speed rollercoaster ride.”

Our View: This will be McDowell's first Nationwide start and he hasn't been overly impressive in Cup with a best of 29th in two starts.

Trucks: Hornaday on Dover pole

Ron Hornaday Jr. bettered a field of 36 cars to win the pole for the AAA Insurance 200. His top speed was 155.541 mph.

Our View: Hornaday was already considered a favorite this week, but you may want to take a look at the outside of the front row. Colin Braun in a Roush-Fenway Ford F-150 starts there and this organization is strong in all divisions.

Starting Lineup (on Fox Sports)
Avg. Finish, last five races

Digger not to blame for Fox decline

According to Fox Sports chairman David Hill, "Digger" is not to blame for the declining ratings for NASCAR.

Our View: Perhaps it's a combination of things: Fox's broadcast style that that features "entertainment" over reporting the race, an overabundance of commercials and refusal to implement the same kind of side by coverage that IRL fans love—and yes, that stupid gopher is the face of their frivolousness.

N'Wide: Leffler to make 200th start

Jason Leffler is scheduled to make his 200th career Nationwide start this week at Dover, according to NASCAR.com.

Our View: In his first 199 starts, Leffler has 57 top-10s, 29 top-fives and two victories. With the way he's run in this series this year, he could start his third hundred run with a third victory.

Reutimann fastest in Dover's first practice

David Reutimann posted the fastest single lap in Friday's practice session, with a speed of 157.467 mph.

Our View: Drivers typically work on qualification trim in this session, so Reutimann is a good bet to start up front for Sunday's race.

IRL: Scheckter to run at Milwaukee

Tomas Scheckter will race for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing this week, according to IndyCar.com.

Our View: Scheckter has some strong runs there with third-place finishes in 2005 and 2006, but his last attempt was a little more what fantasy owners can expect this week. In his most recent outing in 2007, he finished 17th.

Last Five Races Average Finish

Mayfield also withdrawn

Jeremy Mayfield has withdrawn his entry for J.J. Yeley from the Dover race, according to ESPN.com.

Our View: Along with Todd Bodine's withdrawal, this makes the entry list 47 cars. That should make it a little easier for your favorite "go-or-go-home" driver make the show.

Gunselman withdraws from Dover, seeks driver

Todd Bodine has decided to step down as driver of the No. 64 Larry Gunselman Toyota, which has caused them to withdraw their Dover effort and seek a new driver, according to the team.

Our View: Fans of dark horses have to pull for every independent team, but the chances of the No. 64 making the show in the next few months are slim with any driver behind the wheel.

Busch bangs Starr in practice

A much faster Kyle Busch banged into David Starr in the early stages of the first practice session and made slight damage.

Our View: Starr refused to make room for Busch, which is one of the perils of this tight track.

Ky Busch weighs in on Jr.

Kyle Busch has added his two cents to the Dale Earnhardt Jr. crew chief change, according to RacingOne.com.

Our View: "You got to make the most popular driver in the sport competitive -- so you got to do what you got to do, I guess," Busch said. There is a little bitterness to that statement, considering that Busch was the driver moved out of his ride to make room for Earnhardt.

Trucks: Dover's last five races

There is a long history of part time drivers finding success in the Camping World Truck Series at Dover. From last year's winner Scott Speed, to Tony Stewart who finished second in 2005, Cup and Nationwide drivers have used this race to get the rhythm of the week started.

Partly due to their success, Truck regulars have not dominated the top of the average finish grid. Only Ron Hornaday Jr. and Johnny Benson Jr. enter the weekend with at least three consecutive top-10s, which makes them best bets to highlight your roster. That also leaves the field wide open for the remaining spots—and given the strength of interlopers, this might be a good week to gamble on Max Papis.

Notably, this track has not been kind to Kyle Busch. He won there in 2005, but has slowly been sliding down the grid since until he bottomed out with a 27th-place finish last year. In the Cup series, he's also been hit or miss with a victory last spring, but two 40-something finishes in his last five starts.

Results, last five years

Driver	Avg Fin	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004
Scott Speed	1.00	1
Tony Stewart	2.00				2
Hank Parker Jr	3.00					3
Mark Martin	3.50		6	1
Ron Hornaday Jr	3.75	3	1	7	4
Mike Bliss	4.50		5	4
Dave Blaney	6.00					6
Ricky Craven	7.00				7
Andy Houston	7.00					7
Travis Kvapil	7.67	4	3			16
Colin Braun	8.00	8
Carl Edwards	8.00			2		14
A J Allmendinger	9.00		9
David Reutimann	9.00			5	5	17
Mike Skinner	10.00	7	7	22	10	4
Aaron Fike	10.00		10
Timothy Peters	10.00			14	6
Rick Crawford	10.60	9	23	8	11	2
David Starr	11.60	6	25	11	8	8
Terry Cook	12.00	13	8	16	3	20
Deborah Renshaw	12.00				12
Aric Almirola	12.00			12
Jon Wood	12.50	15				10
Stacy Compton	12.50	23	2
Kyle Busch	12.50	27	12	10	1
Bobby Hamilton Jr	13.00			13
Johnny Benson Jr	13.50	10	4	6	34
Willie Allen	14.00		14
Shane Sieg	14.50	14				15
Chad Chaffin	15.00	21			23	1
Ryan Matthews	15.00		15
Jack Sprague	15.40	2	28	9	29	9
Ted Musgrave Sr	15.60	11	20	18	17	12
Chad McCumbee	16.00	12	13	23
Justin Marks	16.00	16
Blake Bjorkland	16.00		16
Matt Crafton	16.80	5	26	15	9	29
Donny Lia	17.00	17
Tim Sauter	17.00		17
Bobby East	17.00			17
Ken Schrader	17.33		33		14	5
Dennis Setzer	17.60	18	19	20	13	18
Todd Bodine	17.75	29	11	3	28
Shelby Howard	19.00	19
Bobby Hamilton Sr	20.00				21	19
Todd Kluever	20.00				20
Andy Lally	22.00	22
Ken Weaver	22.00					22
Regan Smith	22.00				22
Brad Keselowski	22.50				15	30
Erik Darnell	22.67	25	18	25
Brendan Gaughan	22.75	20	36	19	16
Robert Huffman	23.00				35	11
Shane Hmiel	23.00					23
Chase Montgomery	23.00				18	28
Tracy Hines	23.00				25	21
Steve Park	23.33			21	36	13
Kevin Lepage	23.50			28	19
Landon Cassill	24.00	24
Shane Huffman	24.00		24
Erin Crocker	24.00			24
Jimmy Spencer Sr	24.00				24
Kevin Love	24.00					24
Jason White	26.00	30	22
Robert Pressley	26.00				26
Derrick Kelley	26.00					26
Marcos Ambrose	26.00			26
Scott Lynch	27.00		27
Rich Bickle	27.00				27
Kyle Krisiloff	27.00			27
Scott Lagasse Jr	27.33	26	21	35
Morgan Shepherd	29.00		29
Kerry Earnhardt	29.00			29
T J Bell	30.00		30
Bill Lester	30.00		35	30	30	25
J C Stout	31.00	31
Kraig Kinser	31.00		31	31
Kelly Sutton	31.33			36	31	27
Brandon Whitt	31.50				32	31
Brian Scott	32.00	32
Dana White	32.00		32
Jerry Hill	32.00					32
Joey Miller	32.00			32
Ryan Seaman	33.00	33
Wayne Edwards	33.00				33
Boston Reid	33.00			33
Lance Hooper	33.00					33
Larry Gunselman	34.00	34
Clint Bowyer	34.00		34
Phil Bonifield	34.00					34
Johnny Chapman	34.00			34
Nick Tucker	35.00	35
Mark McFarland	35.00					35
Butch Miller	36.00	36
Robert Richardson	37.00			37
Ryan Moore	38.00			38