News Article
May 30 - June 1, 2008 race weekend news & notes
May 26, 2008
Joe Heller
Good night and see you in September!
Posted: Sunday, June 1 @ 7 p.m.
A first time winner, a repeat winner, and a first time Dover Sprint Cup winner took home the monster trophies this weekend at Dover International Speedway. Scott Speed, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch emerged as the winners in a weekend that produced exciting racing action and plenty of highlight reel moments. From the massive wreck that wiped out Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler, and some of the top names in the Sprint Cup Series race, to Scott Speed's surprising win in the Truck race, it was one MONSTER weekend ... and oh yeah, it was Dover's first with the Monster Monument.
I hope you had a chance to see it this weekend, and if not, come on out in September and check it out.
Good night from the Monster Mile. See you Sept. 19-21, 2008!
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The checkered flag is in the air and Kyle Busch wins the “Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks”
Posted: Sunday, June 1 @ 6:50 p.m.
Another one in the books and Kyle Busch has emerged as the winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race today at the Monster Mile. Busch led 158 of 400 laps to take yet another win this season; a season that he has been dominating from the get go. Sept. 2007 Dover winner Carl Edwards finished second, followed by pole sitter Greg Biffle who led 164 laps today. Matt Kenseth finished fourth followed by Jeff Gordon in sixth. Oddly enough, including Busch, the top-8 finishers are all Dover winners (Busch, Edwards, Biffle, Kenseth, Gordon, Truex, Johnson and Burton).
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This is isn't timely by any means, but the race is underway!
Posted: Sunday, June 1 @ 5:30 p.m.
With 80 laps to go, Kyle Busch leads Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle. A massive pile up on the backstretch eliminated several of the top drivers including Denny Hamlin and Elliott Sadler, while others collected in the wreck, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick, all went to the garage for repairs and have since rejoined the race, but are many laps behind. Post-race recap still to come.
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T-minus 25 minutes and counting...
Posted: Sunday, June 1 @ 1:40 p.m.
With just 25 minutes or so until the green flag drops, the drivers are currently on the grid for driver introduction and the crews are busy making sure that everything is order in their pit box. Photos from the mornings press conferences and more are still to come.
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Let the countdown begin ... five hours to the drop of the green flag.
Posted: Sunday, June 1 @ 9 a.m.
A warm breeze greeted race fans arriving at the Speedway this morning, just hours before the start of the "Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks." Right now the crews are busy putting their "war wagons" into place on pit road as fans roam the frontstretch during Trackside Tours. What's a Trackside Tour you ask? This special promotion allows fans to walk on the track before the race and near pit road as the teams set up for the big day. Look for this special promo the next time you look to purchase tickets to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Monster Mile.
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Tomorrow is the big day
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 9:40 p.m.
With both the Truck and Nationwide Series races in the books, all attention is on the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the "Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks" on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson and today's winner Denny Hamlin paced the abbreviated Happy Hour practice today, but two former Dover winners, Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr., and perhaps the hottest driver in NASCAR at the moment, Kyle Busch, ran 3-4-5 in the final practice.
With a warm and sunny day on tap for tomorrow, it should be a perfect day for 400 miles on the high banks of the Monster Mile. Hope to see you on Sunday.
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Denny Hamlin wins the Heluva Good! 200
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 8:40 p.m.
The checkered flag came out a few minutes after 8 p.m. and Denny Hamlin emerged as the race winner. Hamlin, who has now won back-to-back Dover Nationwide Series events, led Carl Edwards to the finish line to take home yet another Nationwide Series win for the Joe Gibbs Racing organization. Series rookie Joey Logano came home sixth in his first start and in a post-race press conference said that he felt he could have finished even better. More to come.
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Halfway through the Heluva Good! 200
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 7 p.m.
Besides the No. 88 of Brad Keselowski, Cup regulars have been the front runners in the Heluva Good! 200 thus far. Brad Coleman has gone to the garage after blowing a tire and Joey Logano has been running in the top-10, but has been hampered ever since he bumped another car while exiting pit road. 100 down, 100 to go.
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The track is dry, the sky is blue, let's go racing!
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 5:50 p.m.
In what may be the latest green flag time for any race in Dover's 40 year history, the Heluva Good! 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race will be underway in a matter of minutes after a three-hour rain delay. So let's go racing! Photos, a recap and more will be available later tonight.
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Photos from Saturday
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 3:45 p.m.
Click here for photos from NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying and the Bobby Allison dedication ceremony.
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Rain, rain, go away … no seriously. Go!
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 3 p.m.
Now, we wait. Shortly following the Bobby Allison dedication ceremony, a strong storm system rolled into the Dover area which forced the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars to the garage, ending Happy Hour practice early. The morning began with NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying, which saw Sept. 2007 Dover winner Carl Edward take the pole position with a lap of 154.387 mph. Fellow Cup competitor Denny Hamlin will start second, followed by Kyle Busch and Mike Bliss. Bliss is the highest starting Nationwide Series regular.
Rookies and young guns make up the next two rows with Brad Keselowski and Brad Coleman on row three and Landon Cassill and Kelly Bires on row four. Joey Logano will start the Heulva Good! 200, his first Nationwide race, in ninth.
Also happening this morning at the track was the Bobby Allison dedication ceremony at the Monster Monument. Allison was joined by Dover Motorsports President and CEO Denis McGlynn and long-time MRN broadcaster Barney Hall on stage at Victory Plaza to discuss Allison’s storied career at the Monster Mile. The trio also unveiled Allison’s large marquee plaque on the base of the Monster Monument in front of hundreds of race fans assembled near the new focal point at the Speedway.
So as the rain continues to pound the pavement here at the track, we’ll wait to get word of when the Nationwide cars will take the green.
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More photos from Friday’s on track action
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 10:25 a.m.
Click here for new photos from Friday’s AAA Insurance 200 race.
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Let’s talk about NASCAR’s No. 2 series
Posted: Saturday, May 31 @ 10 a.m.
NASCAR’s No. 2 series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series, is far different from both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The disparity between the 43 cars is like night and day. Yesterday in final practice for the Heluva Good! 200, there was an over 11 mph difference between No. 1 and No. 43. What does this mean? Not much … just really exciting racing! Most likely the leaders will catch the rear of the field after the first 30 laps or so, and by mid-race the real contenders will battling for the lead. Joe Gibbs Racing has been at the top of the charts all weekend, with Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch, although Busch is piloting the No. 32 Braun Racing machine this weekend. Needless to say, all three will be strong come 3 p.m. this afternoon.
Kelly Bires is the first to qualify followed by Mike Wallace and David Reuitmann. Logano goes out seventh; Hamlin’s due out 44th.
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What a day!
Posted: Friday, May 30 @ 9:30 p.m.
Biffle wins the pole, Logano runs fast, and Speed takes home the monster trophy in the "AAA Insurance 200." What a day at the races! And more is on tap for tomorrow afternoon with two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice sessions and then qualifying and the "Heluva Good! 200" race for the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Be sure to check back tomorrow morning for more photos from Friday's action on the track and more news and notes from both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series on-track action.
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Pictures from Friday morning at the Monster Mile
Posted: Friday, May 30 @ 1:45 p.m.
Here are some shots from the on-track action today at the track and also from some of the press conferences with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers this morning.
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“The Biff” paces first Nationwide Series practice
Posted: Friday, May 30 @ 11 a.m.
Greg Biffle turned the fastest lap in NASCAR Nationwide Series practice on Friday morning at Dover International Speedway, circling the Monster Mile in 23.395 seconds at a speed of 153.879 mph.
Biffle has tamed the Monster over the years, with two wins and four top-five finishes in the Nationwide series to go along with three top-five finishes and one win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Kyle Busch, who is running triple duty at Dover this weekend with entries in all three races, got his Friday off to a good start with the day’s second-quickest lap. He was the only other driver over 153 mph, with a fast lap of 153.525 mph. He was nearly a full second faster than Kelly Bires, the third-quickest driver.
Joey Logano, who will make his long-awaited Nationwide Series debut this weekend, ran 16th quickest at 151.330 mph.
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Happy Friday
Posted: Friday, May 30 @ 8:40 a.m.
A warm, sunny morning greeted race fans at the track this morning. First on tap, the NASCAR Nationwide Series cars. All eyes will be on the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing entry with Joey Logano in the driver’s seat for the very first time, but you can be sure that some of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars in the field will be near the top of the charts. Stay tuned for a practice recap.
Tickets are still available! Hope to see YOU at the track today.
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Good first day
Posted: Thursday, May 29 @ 8 p.m.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took to the track on Thursday for two afternoon practice sessions. Reigning champion Ron Hornaday Jr. led the way in the first practice session, turning a lap of 152.996 mph to take the top spot. Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Jack Sprague followed in second with a lap of 151.630 mph.
In final practice for the trucks, Mike Skinner put his No. 5 Toyota on the top of the charts with a lap of 153.485 mph. “Rowdy” Kyle Busch followed in second with a lap of 153.466 mph, and Hornaday in third with a lap of 153.283 mph, who clocked this time with only one lap in the session.
Qualifying for the AAA Insurance 200 begins at 10:10 a.m. on Friday, following NASCAR Nationwide Series practice. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes to the track for the first time this weekend at 11:30 a.m. and will qualify at 3:10 p.m.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will take the green flag at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Now have you gone out and seen the Monster Monument yet?
Tsk-tsk if you haven’t!
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Thursday truckin'
Posted: Thursday, May 29 @ 11 a.m.
Thursday - the unofficial start of race weekend here at the Monster Mile! The Truck Series garage is a busy place this morning as 34 teams are preparing their trucks for the first practice of the weekend, scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.
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Five things you MUST do or see this weekend
Posted: Wednesday, May 28 @ 7:50 p.m.
1. Don’t miss your chance to see the Bobby Allison dedication ceremony at the Monster Monument on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. There will only be a few drivers who will ever receive this honor, and you’ll want to make sure that you’re there to see history in the making. Plus there’s a FREE autograph session with Allison following it, so it’s a great opportunity to see this NASCAR legend in person this weekend.
2. When you get to the track, be sure to snag a copy of Beyond the Track, published by the Dover Post. It’s loaded with things to do in the area, special opportunities and is a really great, comprehensive guide to race week here in Dover. Hint, hint – there are some in the ticket office lobby at the track.
3. Don’t forget to check out the Monster Monument under the lights. It’s amazing!
4. There will be a slew of radio stations and TV stations reporting live from the track near the FanZone and Monster Monument throughout the weekend. Be sure to be on the look out for your local station and on-air personalities that you may recognize at the track.
5. It’s not too late to sign up for the track walk … you still have Friday and Saturday to get signed up and get on track for charity. It should definitely be on your “things to do at Dover” list this weekend.
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Gordon out, Crafton in, at least for Friday and Saturday
Posted: Wednesday, May 28 @ 4 p.m.
Recent NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race winner Matt Crafton will practice and qualify Robby Gordon’s NASCAR Sprint Cup car at Dover International Speedway this weekend while Gordon competes in the Baja 500 off-road event.
A three-time Baja 500 champion, Gordon hopes to add a fourth crown in the event, which goes green at approximately 12:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday. The course covers 441 miles.
On Thursday, Gordon will be inducted into Carrera Cantina’s Hall of Fame for Baja participants. He will join his father, Bob Gordon, who is a member of the hall of fame as well. Gordon plans to fly to Dover immediately after the event in Mexico to compete in Sunday's race.
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Junior achievement
Posted: Wednesday, May 28 @ 11:30 a.m.
300th straight start: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be making his 300th straight start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Dover. He made his Cup debut when he finished sixth on May 30, 1999 at Charlotte. Earnhardt, who was racing for his second straight NASCAR Nationwide Series title, competed in five Cup races during the 1999 season. He drove in the last race of the 1999 season and hasn't missed a points-paying event since. Earnhardt has competed in 303 total Sprint Cup events.
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More driver thoughts about the upcoming weekend
Posted: Wednesday, May 28 @ 11:30 a.m.
Mark Martin, No. 8 U.S. Army Impala SS: “Dover is a track that I always loved and we always run well there. I should have won there so many times and it just seemed like something would go wrong. Finally it all fell into place and we’ve had a lot of success there over the years. I won my first ever Busch and NASCAR race there in 1987.
"We’ve won in the Cup car there four times and we got a Truck Series win there a couple of years ago. It’s just the type of track that really suits my style of driving and it can be a lot of fun to race there. It's definitely one of my favorite tracks on the circuit."
Martin Truex, Jr., No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Impala SS: “Dover’s just always been a real special place to me. I grew up watching races there, so maybe that helped me once I actually got out on the track. Plus, I have a lot of my family and friends show up for this race and I think that helps me relax.
“It’d be great to get back into Victory Lane at Dover. This is where we turned our season around last year and started making our move to get into the Chase. It would be nice to get on that type of roll again."
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A freshly painted Monster Mile
Posted: Wednesday, May 28 @ 9:25 a.m.
In the weeks leading up to the race, crews from Bower’s Signs and Britten Banners & Event Solutions are at the track day and night in order to get the track ready for race weekend. This includes hanging banners, painting the track’s walls and billboards, applying the series and race logos on the grass in the turns, and assembling most of the tents that you’ll see around the track. Here are some shots of their progress over the course of the last month.
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Here’s a good quote
Posted: Wednesday, May 28 @ 9 a.m.
Andy Lally, driver of the NO. 7 TRG Motorsports Silverado in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: “Dover is going to be wild. To be completely honest this is the track that I am least looking forward to going to right now. From watching races here in years past it seems like a tough place to stay away from trouble. The track itself looks awesome to drive but it sure seems to eat up some trucks. If we can get though this one in one piece and with a decent finish I will be thrilled.”
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Did you know?
Posted: Tuesday, May 27 @ 4:30 p.m.
After leading a rendition of “Happy Birthday” in the media center at Charlotte on May 24, 2008, Joe and J.D. Gibbs presented Joey Logano with a 150-pound birthday cake designed to look like the Toyota he’ll wheel for video game retailer GameStop in the Heluva Good! 200 at Dover on Saturday, May 31.
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Attention Casey Mears fans!
Posted: Tuesday, May 27 @ 4 p.m.
Casey Mears will greet fans and sign autographs at the Kellogg's/CARQUEST souvenir trailer at 10:20 a.m. on Sunday, June 1.
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Who’s running what, where, and when
Posted: Tuesday, May 27 @ 3 p.m.
Just got my hands on a copy of the entry list. Let’s take a look at some of the surprise names entered this weekend:
AAA Insurance 200 – Travis Kvapil (No. 09), Jon Wood (No. 21), Scott Speed (No. 22), Kyle Busch (No. 51), and Ryan Seaman (No. 89).
Heluva Good! 200 – Here are the Cup guys running in the Heluva Good! 200: Clint Bowyer (No. 2), David Ragan (No. 6), Kasey Kahne (No. 9), Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 12), Greg Biffle (No. 16), Denny Hamlin (No. 18), Kyle Busch (No. 32), Kevin Harvick (No. 33), Dario Franchitti (No. 40), Carl Edwards (No. 60), and David Reuitimann (No. 99), for a grand total of 11.
Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks – Tony Raines (No. 08), Bill Elliott (No. 21), John Andretti (No. 34), and Chad McCumbee (No. 45).
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Where’s the love for the FanZone?
Posted: Tuesday, May 27 @ 10:30 a.m.
So much attention has been given to the Monster Monument and Victory Plaza over the last few weeks that we haven’t been able to share more photos of the newly expanded FanZone display area. This interactive area will be full of displays on race weekend including AAA, Best Buy, Combos, Craftsman, Crocs, Crown Royal, DIRECTV, DeWALT, Dodge, Hatfield Quality Meats, Heluva Good!, JVC, Tylenol, and more!
Oh yeah, and there’s this cool new sign that will make it easy to find. Click here for a photo of the new sign, and be sure to take a few minutes (or a few hours!) and check out the FanZone this weekend.
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One last thing for today
Posted: Monday, May 26 @ 7:50 p.m.
Having trouble remembering last June’s Dover race, or just in the mood to watch an awesome burnout video? Check this out!
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Elliott Sadler to sport Autism Speaks themed car this weekend
Posted: Monday, May 26 @ 7:25 p.m.
This Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is far from your ordinary race. The “Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks” benefits a worthy cause, and Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver Elliott Sadler will be sporting the colors of Autism Speaks on his No. 19 Best Buy Dodge. The car is already known as one of the most colorful on the grid, and this weekend it’ll surely gain a lot of attention with the Autism Speaks puzzle pieces on it.
Click here to see a photo of Sadler’s Dover car that he'll race at the Monster Mile this weekend.
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Welcome to race week at the Monster Mile!
Posted: Monday, May 26 @ 7:20 p.m.
Get ready to dust off your headset and scanner, grab your camera and head to the Monster Mile race fans! It’s the week leading up to the huge May 30 – June 1, 2008 race weekend and we’re going to bring you all of the news and notes leading up to when the checkered flag falls on Sunday, June 1.
Banners are being hung, RV’s are being staged, and there is a buzz in the air surrounding Dover, Delaware! It’s only a matter of days before NASCAR’s best come to town, and we hope that you’ll be joining us here at the Monster Mile this weekend.
This “News & Notes” blog will bring you all of the news surrounding the weekend, including information about all three of the races, photos of what’s going on at the track, and much more useful, and interesting, information to prep you for the weekend.
Joe Heller, public relations coordinator with Dover International Speedway, will bring it all to you - from his laptop in Dover's media center to your computer at home. So stay tuned, and enjoy!
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