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NASCAR - Sprint Cup - AAA 400 Preview
From The Sports Network
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| DATE: Sunday, September 30th |
| SITE: Dover International Speedway (1969) -- Dover, Delaware |
| TRACK: one-mile oval - 1,076 feet (Frontstretch); 1,076 feet (Backstretch) |
| CAPACITY: 135,000 (Grandstand Seating) |
| ANNUAL: 42nd |
| TELEVISION: ESPN |
| ANNOUNCERS: Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree |
| RADIO: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio |
| START TIME: 2 p.m. (ET)/Green Flag: 2:15 p.m. (ET) |
| DEFENDING CHAMPION: Kurt Busch |
| RUNNER-UP: Jimmie Johnson |
| POLE WINNER: Martin Truex Jr (Finished 30th) |
| LAPS: 400 |
| MILES: 400 |
| QUALIFYING RECORD: Jeremy Mayfield, 2004 (161.522 m.p.h.) |
| RACE RECORD: Mark Martin, 1997 (132.719 m.p.h.) |
| TOTAL PURSE: $5,074,329 (2011 figures) |
| PAYOUTS: 1st Place - $223,625; 2nd Place - $220,786; 3rd Place - $180,566 |
| 2011 Finish |
| Finish | Driver | Start | Finish | Driver | Start |
| 1 | Kurt Busch | 2 | 6 | Kyle Busch | 5 |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 6 | 7 | A.J. Allmendinger | 7 |
| 3 | Carl Edwards | 4 | 8 | Clint Bowyer | 27 |
| 4 | Kasey Kahne | 9 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | 12 |
| 5 | Matt Kenseth | 18 | 10 | Kevin Harvick | 22 |
| 2011 AAA 400 Facts and Figures |
| AVERAGE SPEED: 119.413 m.p.h. |
| TIME OF RACE: 3 hours, 30 minutes, 59 seconds |
| MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.908 second |
| CAUTION FLAGS: 10 for 44 laps |
| LEAD CHANGES: 24 among 13 drivers |
| POLE WINNER: Martin Truex Jr. (159.004 m.p.h.) |
| Past AAA 400 Winners (Starting Position) Car -- Speed |
| 2011 -- Kurt Busch (2nd) -- Dodge -- 119.413 m.p.h. |
| 2010 -- Jimmie Johnson (1st) -- Chevrolet -- 131.543 m.p.h. |
| 2009 -- Jimmie Johnson (1st) -- Chevrolet -- 118.704 m.p.h. |
| 2008 -- Greg Biffle (5th) -- Ford -- 114.168 m.p.h. |
| 2007 -- Carl Edwards (15th) -- Ford -- 101.846 m.p.h. |
| 2006 -- Jeff Burton (19th) -- Chevrolet -- 111.966 m.p.h. |
| 2005 -- Jimmie Johnson (5th) -- Chevrolet -- 115.054 m.p.h. |
| 2004 -- Ryan Newman (2nd) -- Dodge -- 119.067 m.p.h. |
| 2003 -- Ryan Newman (5th) -- Dodge -- 108.802 m.p.h. |
| 2002 -- Jimmie Johnson (19th) -- Chevrolet -- 120.805 m.p.h. |
| 2001 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr (3rd) -- Chevrolet -- 101.559 m.p.h. |
| 2000 -- Tony Stewart (27th) -- Pontiac -- 115.191 m.p.h. |
| 1999 -- Mark Martin (8th) -- Ford -- 127.434 m.p.h. |
| 1998 -- Mark Martin (1st) -- Ford -- 113.384 m.p.h. |
| 1997 -- Mark Martin (1st) -- Ford -- 132.719 m.p.h. (race record) |
| 1996 -- Jeff Gordon (3rd) -- Chevrolet -- 105.646 m.p.h. |
| 1995 -- Jeff Gordon (2nd) -- Chevrolet -- 124.740 m.p.h. |
| 1994 -- Rusty Wallace (10th) -- Ford -- 112.556 m.p.h. |
| 1993 -- Rusty Wallace (1st) -- Pontiac -- 100.334 m.p.h. |
| 1992 -- Ricky Rudd (6th) -- Chevrolet -- 115.289 m.p.h. |
| 1991 -- Harry Gant (10th) -- Oldsmobile -- 110.179 m.p.h. |
| 1990 -- Bill Elliott (1st) -- Ford -- 125.945 m.p.h. |
| 1989 -- Dale Earnhardt (15th) -- Chevrolet -- 122.909 m.p.h. |
| 1988 -- Bill Elliott (3rd) -- Ford -- 109.349 m.p.h. |
| 1987 -- Ricky Rudd (13th) -- Ford -- 124.706 m.p.h. |
| 1986 -- Ricky Rudd (11th) -- Ford -- 114.329 m.p.h. |
| 1985 -- Harry Gant (4th) -- Chevrolet -- 120.538 m.p.h. |
| 1984 -- Harry Gant (3rd) -- Chevrolet -- 111.856 m.p.h. |
| 1983 -- Bobby Allison (7th) -- Buick -- 116.077 m.p.h. |
| 1982 -- Darrell Waltrip (3rd) -- Buick -- 107.642 m.p.h. |
| 1981 -- Neil Bonnett (3rd) -- Ford -- 119.561 m.p.h. |
| 1980 -- Darrell Waltrip (2nd) -- Chevrolet -- 116.024 m.p.h. |
| 1979 -- Richard Petty (4th) -- Chevrolet -- 114.366 m.p.h. |
| 1978 -- Bobby Allison (2nd) -- Ford -- 119.323 m.p.h. |
| 1977 -- Benny Parsons (7th) -- Chevrolet -- 114.708 m.p.h. |
| 1976 -- Cale Yarborough (1st) -- Chevrolet -- 115.740 m.p.h. |
| 1975 -- Richard Petty (3rd) -- Dodge -- 113.372 m.p.h. |
| 1974 -- Richard Petty (2nd) -- Dodge -- 113.640 m.p.h. |
| 1973 -- David Pearson (1st) -- Mercury -- 112.852 m.p.h. |
| 1972 -- David Pearson (2nd) -- Mercury -- 120.506 m.p.h. |
| 1971 -- Richard Petty (4th) -- Plymouth -- 123.245 m.p.h. |
| NOTE: Formerly called Delaware 500 (1971-88), Peak Performance 500 (1989), |
| Peak Antifreeze 500 (1990-93), Splitfire Spark Plug 500 (1993-94), |
| MBNA.com 400 (1995-2000), MBNA Cal Ripken Jr. 400 (2001), MBNA |
| RacePoints 400 (2002-05), Dover 400 (2006), Dodge Dealers 400 (2007), |
| Camping World RV 400 (2008) - race changed from 500 to 400 miles in |
| 1997. |
| Past AAA 400 Pole Winners (Finish) |
| 2011 -- Martin Truex Jr -- 30th |
| 2010 -- Jimmie Johnson -- 1st |
| 2009 -- Jimmie Johnson -- 1st |
| 2008 -- Jeff Gordon -- 7th |
| 2007 -- Jimmie Johnson -- 14th |
| 2006 -- Jeff Gordon -- 3rd |
| 2005 -- Ryan Newman -- 5th |
| 2004 -- Jeremy Mayfield -- 7th |
| 2003 -- None -- Weather |
| 2002 -- Rusty Wallace -- 15th |
| 2001 -- Dale Jarrett -- 12th |
| 2000 -- Jeremy Mayfield -- 35th |
| 1999 -- Rusty Wallace -- 32nd |
| 1998 -- Mark Martin -- 1st |
| 1997 -- Mark Martin -- 1st |
| 1996 -- Bobby Labonte -- 4th |
| 1995 -- Rick Mast -- 28th |
| 1994 -- Geoffrey Bodine -- 5th |
| 1993 -- Rusty Wallace -- 1st |
| 1992 -- Alan Kulwicki -- 34th |
| 1991 -- Alan Kulwicki -- 24th |
| 1990 -- Bill Elliott -- 1st |
| 1989 -- Davey Allison -- 24th |
| 1988 -- Mark Martin -- 39th |
| 1987 -- Alan Kulwicki -- 14th |
| 1986 -- Geoffrey Bodine -- 28th |
| 1985 -- Bill Elliott -- 20th |
| 1984 -- None -- Weather |
| 1983 -- Terry Labonte -- 4th |
| 1982 -- Ricky Rudd -- 11th |
| 1981 -- Ricky Rudd -- 5th |
| 1980 -- Cale Yarborough -- 4th |
| 1979 -- Dale Earnhardt -- 9th |
| 1978 -- J.D. McDuffie -- 33rd |
| 1977 -- Neil Bonnett -- 17th |
| 1976 -- Cale Yarborough -- 1st |
| 1975 -- Dave Marcis -- 30th |
| 1974 -- Buddy Baker -- 2nd |
| 1973 -- David Pearson -- 1st |
| 1972 -- Bobby Allison -- 20th |
| 1971 -- Bobby Allison -- 4th |
| Last Race Results |
| RACE: Sylvania 300 (September 23rd) |
| SITE: New Hampshire Motor Speedway -- Loudon, New Hampshire |
| MILES: 317.4 |
| LAPS: 300 |
| WINNER: Denny Hamlin |
| RUNNER-UP: Jimmie Johnson |
| THIRD: Jeff Gordon |
| FOURTH: Clint Bowyer |
| FIFTH: Kasey Kahne |
| POLE WINNER: Jeff Gordon (Finished 3rd) |
| TIME OF RACE: 2 hours, 43 minutes, 2 seconds |
| AVERAGE SPEED: 116.810 m.p.h. |
| MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.675 seconds |
| CAUTION FLAGS: 4 for 17 laps |
| LEAD CHANGES: 17 among 10 drivers |
| LAP LEADERS: J. Gordon 1-3; T. Stewart 4-41; J. Gordon 42; C. Mears 43; J. |
| Gordon 44-45; Kyle Busch 46-93; D. Hamlin 94-107; K. Kahne 108; |
| J. Johnson 109; M. Kenseth 110; B. Keselowski 111-112; D. Hamlin |
| 113-179; B. Vickers 180-184; D. Hamlin 185-244; J. Johnson 245; |
| J. Gordon 246; B. Keselowski 247-248; D. Hamlin 249-300. |
| AAA 400 Entry List |
| Car | Driver, Hometown | Car/Name |
| 1 | Jamie McMurray (Joplin, MO) | Chevrolet/McDonald's |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski (Rochester Hills, MI) | Dodge/Miller Lite |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne (Enumclaw, WA) | Chevrolet/Farmers Insurance |
| 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Olive Brnch,MS) | Ford/Cargill/Safeway |
| 9 | Marcos Ambrose (Launceston, Australia) | Ford/DeWalt |
| 10 | Danica Patrick (Roscoe, IL) | Chevrolet/GoDaddy.com |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin (Chesterfield, VA) | Toyota/FedEx Office |
| 13 | Casey Mears (Bakersfield, CA) | Ford/Geico |
| 14 | Tony Stewart (Columbus, IN) | Chevrolet/Mobil 1/Office Depot |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer (Emporia, KS) | Toyota/5-Hour Energy |
| 16 | Greg Biffle (Vancouver, WA) | Ford/Scotch Brite |
| 17 | Matt Kenseth (Cambridge, WI) | Ford/Roush Fenway Racing |
| 18 | Kyle Busch (Las Vegas, NV) | Toyota/Interstate Batteries |
| 19 | Mike Bliss (Milwaukie, OR) | Toyota/Plinker Tactical |
| 20 | Joey Logano (Middletown, CT) | Toyota/Home Depot |
| 22 | Sam Hornish Jr. (Defiance, OH) | Dodge/Shell/Pennzoil |
| 23 | Scott Riggs (Bahama, NC) | Chevrolet/North Texas Pipe |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon (Vallejo, CA) | Chevrolet/Drive to End Hunger |
| 26 | Josh Wise (Riverside, CA) | Ford/MDS Transport |
| 27 | Paul Menard (Eau Claire, WI) | Chevrolet/Menards/Certain Teed |
| 29 | Kevin Harvick (Bakersfield, CA) | Chevrolet/Budweiser |
| 30 | David Stremme (South Bend, IN) | Toyota/Inception Motorsports |
| 31 | Jeff Burton (South Boston, VA) | Chevrolet/Caterpillar |
| 32 | T.J. Bell (Sparks, NV) | Ford/Greensmoke |
| 33 | Cole Whitt (Alpine, CA) | Chevrolet/littlejoesautos.com |
| 34 | David Ragan (Unadilla, GA) | Ford/Long John Silver's |
| 36 | Dave Blaney (Hartford, OH) | Chevrolet/Tommy Baldwin Racing |
| 37 | J.J. Yeley (Phoenix, AZ) | Chevrolet/TBA |
| 38 | David Gilliland (Riverside, CA) | Ford/Taco Bell |
| 39 | Ryan Newman (South Bend, IN) | Chevrolet/U.S. Army |
| 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya (Bogota, Colombia) | Chevrolet/Target |
| 43 | Aric Almirola (Tampa, FL) | Ford/Super 8 |
| 47 | Bobby Labonte (Corpus Christi, TX) | Toyota/Kingsford Charcoal |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson (El Cajon, CA) | Chevrolet/Lowe's/Kobalt Tools |
| 49 | Jason Leffler (Long Beach, CA) | Toyota/TBA |
| 51 * | Kurt Busch (Las Vegas, NV) | Chevrolet/Phoenix Construction |
| 55 | Mark Martin (Batesville, AR) | Toyota/Aaron's |
| 56 | Martin Truex Jr. (Mayetta, NJ) | Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts |
| 78 | Regan Smith (Cato, NY) | Chevrolet/Furniture Row |
| 79 | Kelly Bires (Mauston, WI) | Ford/Team Kyle |
| 83 | Landon Cassill (Cedar Rapids, IA) | Toyota/Burger King |
| 87 | Joe Nemechek (Lakeland, FL) | Toyota/AM FM Energy Wood&Pellet |
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Kannapolis, NC) | Chevrolet/Diet Mt. Dew/Nat Guard |
| 91 | Reed Sorenson (Peachtree City, GA) | Toyota/Plinker Tactical |
| 93 | Travis Kvapil (Janesville, WI) | Toyota/Burger King |
| 95 | Scott Speed (Manteca, CA) | Ford/Jordan Truck Sales |
| 98 | Michael McDowell (Glendale, AZ) | Ford/Phil Parsons Racing |
| 99 | Carl Edwards (Columbia, MO) | Ford/Fastenal |
| Leading Contenders (Finish the last nine years) |
| Driver | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Kurt Busch | 38th | 5th | 23rd | 4th | 29th | 34th | 5th | 4th | Won |
| Jimmie Johnson | 8th | 10th | Won | 13th | 14th | 5th | Won | Won | 2nd |
| Carl Edwards | --- | 18th | 9th | 2nd | Won | 3rd | 11th | 5th | 3rd |
| Kasey Kahne | --- | 42nd | 16th | 38th | 32nd | 26th | 8th | 28th | 4th |
| Matt Kenseth | 9th | 32nd | 35th | 10th | 35th | 2nd | 3rd | 18th | 5th |
| Kyle Busch | --- | --- | 2nd | 40th | 5th | 43rd | 31st | 6th | 6th |
| Clint Bowyer | --- | --- | --- | 8th | 12th | 8th | 15th | 25th | 8th |
| Marcos Ambrose | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 32nd | 14th | 20th | 9th |
| Kevin Harvick | 4th | 19th | 19th | 32nd | 20th | 6th | 12th | 15th | 10th |
| Jeff Gordon | 5th | 3rd | 37th | 3rd | 11th | 7th | 6th | 11th | 12th |
| Paul Menard | --- | --- | --- | --- | 21st | 21st | 19th | 7th | 16th |
| Denny Hamlin | --- | --- | --- | 9th | 38th | 38th | 22nd | 9th | 18th |
| Mark Martin | 22nd | 2nd | 4th | 14th | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 12th | 19th |
| Brad Keselowski | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 22nd | 20th |
| Ryan Newman | Won | Won | 5th | 24th | 28th | 13th | 10th | 8th | 23rd |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr | 37th | 9th | 31st | 21st | 3rd | 24th | 20th | 23rd | 24th |
| Tony Stewart | 3rd | 6th | 18th | 33rd | 9th | 11th | 9th | 21st | 25th |
| Greg Biffle | 7th | 11th | 13th | 5th | 2nd | Won | 13th | 19th | 27th |
| Joey Logano | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 42nd | 3rd | 29th |
| Martin Truex Jr | --- | --- | --- | 6th | 13th | 20th | 33rd | 34th | 30th |
| Mover of the Week |
| Denny Hamlin - Started in the 32nd position and finished 1st |
| Sports Network Selections |
| Pick to Win - Jimmie Johnson |
| Darkhorse - Ryan Newman |
| Last Week's Pick to Win (Greg Biffle) - Finished 18th |
| Last Week's Darkhorse (Carl Edwards) - Finished 19th |
| NOTES: |
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Last year at this time, Jimmie Johnson was 10th on the points list in the
Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. This time around, Johnson is first by
the slimmest of margins over Brad Keselowski.
Johnson is certainly the driver to beat and not because he's on top of the
points list. JJ has dominated the Dover fall race in recent years, winning
back-to-back in 2009-10 and finishing second last year. In fact, Johnson won
earlier this year at the "Monster Mile," his seventh win at Dover International
Speedway.
Johnson led 289 laps, including the final 76, in the 400-lap race. He crossed
the finish line 2.6 seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick to place him in a tie with
NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison for most all-time wins at
this one-mile, concrete-surfaced racetrack.
Johnson's overall numbers at Dover are impressive: Seven wins, 10 top fives, 15
top 10s, three poles and an average finish in 21 starts of 8.9.
Last season, it was Kurt Busch who outdueled Johnson at DIS. Busch, the 2004
Sprint Cup Series champion, grabbed the lead from Johnson after a late-race
restart. He then held off Johnson in another restart before beating him at the
finish by 0.9 seconds for his second win of the season and the 24th of his
career.
In 2010, Johnson started on the pole and led the most laps with 191 for
his sixth victory of the 2010 campaign and the 53rd of his Cup career. The win
elevated Johnson to second in last year's Chase, and although he did not win
another race, he recorded eight more top-10s to win the Sprint Cup title.
When Johnson won in 2009 at "The Monster Mile," he defeated Mark Martin by
1.970 seconds to complete the Dover Double. Johnson has enjoyed remarkable
success at DIS winning seven times with 15 top-10 finishes. In 19 starts, his
average finish is 9.6 with 1,829 laps led.
Greg Biffle produced his second career win at Dover in 2008, as he defeated
Matt Kenseth for his 14th career Sprint Cup title. Biffle, who added another
title in August, also captured the spring Dover race in 2005. Kenseth led for
a race-high 136 laps, but finished 0.934 of a second behind.
Carl Edwards streak of four straight top-10 finishes in September at Dover
ended in 2009, as he placed 11th. In 2007, he captured the checkered flag,
as he led the final 38 laps to defeat Greg Biffle by less than a second. Matt
Kenseth had dominated the race, leading for 192 laps, however, he failed to
finish due to engine problems and placed 35th.
In 2006, Jeff Burton cruised to an almost eight second win over Edwards, as he
captured the 18th of his 21 Sprint Cup career titles. Burton led for only six
laps, but it was the final six that led him to victory. Pole sitter Jeff
Gordon finished third, while Matt Kenseth, who dominated the race, leading for
215 laps, finished 10th.
The second and third starting positions has been the most productive at Dover,
producing 14 and 13 winners respectively, while the pole has produced 13. Jeff
Gordon, Mark Martin and Bill Elliott each have four Dover victories, while
Johnson, Allison and Petty have seven. Prior to Johnson doubling in 2009, Ryan
Newman was the last driver to double at Dover in the same season, capturing
both races in 2003. Tony Stewart (2000) has also accomplished this feat in the
past decade.
THIS AND THAT FROM DOVER: The official opening of Dover International
Speedway, then called Dover Downs International Speedway, was in 1969. The
track name was changed to Dover International Speedway in 2002. There have
been 85 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover International Speedway since the
track opened. The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 37th,
by Kyle Petty in 1995. 52 races at Dover have been won from a top-five
starting position; 18 races have been won from a starting position outside the
top 10.
The Chase for the Sprint Cup championship continues with the October 7th
running of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Clint Bowyer is the defending race winner.
09/25 16:02:33 ET
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As of September 25, 2012, at 04:02 PM ET
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