Dover 400 Qualifying Update

Dover International Speedway -- 09/21/08

Author: Becca Gladden

Published: Sunday Sep 21 2008 12:22am

Will this week's race at Dover produce another "surprise" winner like Greg Biffle, who took Chase victory number one at Loudon last weekΔ

I've said all along that the Chase is not a three-man race and should not be characterized as simply a battle between the "Big Three" - Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson.

That's not to say that one of those three won't be the winner this Sunday. Kyle Busch (+375) dominated the Nationwide Race on Saturday, leading 157 of 207 laps, and Carl Edwards (+375) has dominated enough races on concrete surfaces like this one to be nicknamed "Concrete Carl."

But it was Jeff Gordon (+1050) who put his car on the pole Friday after pacing the field in the first practice session.

Gordon's pole-winning time was a 157.061 mile per hour, 22.921 second lap. It is his 66th career pole and his fourth at this track.

Gordon has won 17 races from the pole in his career, though just 14% of the 77 Cup races to date have been won from the pole at Dover. Jeff was also in the top 10 in second practice, but was 20th on the speed chart in Happy Hour.

Second practice was led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+1150), who qualified 10th and was 8th in final practice.

Carl Edwards had the fastest time in Happy Hour, rebounding from a disappointing 22nd-place qualifying effort.

There were three drivers whose names appeared in the top 10 in all three practices as well as qualifying, and they are all driving Roush-Fenway Fords: Matt Kenseth (+800), Jamie McMurray, and Greg Biffle (+600).

Kenseth was fourth-fastest in all three practices and qualified 8th, just ahead of Jamie Mac, who qualified 9th. Biffle qualified 5th and ran 2nd to teammate Edwards in final practice.

Lining up next to Jeff Gordon on the front row will be Mark Martin (+2000), who ran a 22.922, just .001 slower than Gordon. Denny Hamlin (+1250) and Kurt Busch (+4500) will occupy row two, with Biffle starting 5th.

Then it's Clint Bowyer (+3500), David Gilliland, Kenseth, McMurray, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top 10.

Here's a look at the starting spots for all 12 Chase drivers:

1. Carl Edwards - 22nd
2. Jimmie Johnson - 20th (+650)
3. Greg Biffle - 5th
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - 10th
5. Jeff Burton - 21st (+4000)
6. Denny Hamlin - 3rd
7. Tony Stewart - 33rd (+2000)
8. Kyle Busch - 11th
9. Clint Bowyer - 6th
10. Kevin Harvick 24th (+3500)
11. Jeff Gordon - 1st
12. Matt Kenseth - 8th

Statistically, 60% of Dover winners have come from a starting spot of 5th or better and 78% have come from the top 10. The starting positions of 2nd and 3rd have produced the most winners - 13 each. The worst starting spot for a race winner was 37th - Kyle Petty back in 1995.

Pit stall choices are always critical here because of the very tight pit road and the fact that there are only 42 pit stalls. By virtue of his pole run, Jeff Gordon got to select first and chose stall No. 1.

"The effort put in to qualifying today by this team was unbelievable," said Gordon. "It all starts on Friday here at Dover - getting a good qualifying run and a good pit stall location is key to keep yourself out of trouble, if you can get that number one pit stall."

Mark Martin in P2 took stall No. 11, the next one with an opening in front of it.

Denny Hamlin, who qualified 3rd, chose stall No. 2 - right behind Gordon.

Ken Schrader and Bobby Labonte are the drivers who will share a pit stall. Schrader had a crash in practice on Friday and will be going to a back-up car.

Chad Chaffin and Johnny Sauter did not qualify.