H
Happy29
Guest
MBNA America 400
Race: Sunday, September 21, 2003 in Dover, DE
Winston Cup Race #28 of 36 for the 2003 Winston Cup season
1:00pm/et/ NBC
Dover International Speedway
Superspeedway: 1.0-mile oval
Banking: turns: 24 degrees; straights: 9 degrees
The Top 5 Championship Contenders
-----------------------------------------------
- Matt Kenseth finished 7th in this years earlier Dover race. Of course, Dover is where he made his first start in 1998 where he finished 6th and that race and came back to finish in the top 5 the next year. He starts on the pole because of owners points. He looks to keep that huge points lead steady over Dale Earnhardt Jr by 404 points. He finished 4th in last years Dover race.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr probably had the strongest car at New Hampshire International Speedway until a spring in the engine had a problem. However he was able to maintain speed and was able to keep up a good pit strategy and wound up 5th. Dale Jr. won an emotional victory at Dover in 2001 after the September 11th terrorist attacks, he had the fastest speed in Saturday's Happy Hour. He looks to get his first non-restrictor plate win since then. In 2002, he led 116 laps until finishing in 27th, in this year's earlier Dover race, he finished 11th.
- Kevin Harvick had a strong run going at New Hampshire until the car ran out of fuel and stalled coming to pit road, that error cost him the win and more ground to point leader Matt Kenseth, Harvick finished 13th there. Harvick hasnt had much to show at Dover except for a top 10 in the 2001 September race and a top 10 in Saturday's Busch Series race. By starting 3rd behind Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr, Harvick could be a serious threat to win this race.
- Jimmie Johnson has to be the hottest driver in NASCAR right now. He has three wins this season, both at Loudon and one at Lowes Motor Speedway and a non-points victory at the Winston All-Star Race. Johnson swept both Dover races last year but wrecked in this year's June Race. Keep an eye on that 48 car.
- Ryan Newman, alongside Kenseth, Earnhardt, Harvick and Johnson has also been on a hot streak. He won this years earlier Dover race leading 112 laps there. He has the most wins this season at 6 and the most poles at 7 and is still mathematically (although it'll take a lot of bad luck on the leader's part) in the hunt for the Championship. Newman also finished 7th in the 2002 September race.
The Drivers to Watch:
-----------------------------------------------
- No doubt, the driver to watch will be Jimmie Johnson. He won last year's Dover race, however he crashed in the June race this year. However starting up front in 4th will give Johnson and a few others a better chance than the other guys.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr coming off a good top 5 at Loudon, he dominated the 2001 September Dover race, he led the most laps in the 2002 September Dover race before finishing in the back. Can he win? He has a great shot to by starting second.
- Ryan Newman could be running away with the championship were it not for the wrecks and engine failures. Newman looking to get his 7th win of the season and the Dover sweep.
- Kevin Harvick, starting up front will give the 29 GM Goodwrench team some good track position. He finished out of the top 10 the past 2 races, however Dover could be a good place to start a good streak.
- Matt Kenseth, some strong finishes at Dover. He starts on the pole, if Kenseth can break out early then he'll be tough to catch all day long.
- Tony Stewart, has won several times at Dover. Finished 5th in the 2002 September race, possibly had the strongest car in the June race until a pit violation cost him the victory. Now Stewart looks to settle the score and get his second win of the season.
- Ricky Craven, finished in the top 10 in the 2001 September race and again in the 2002 September race. The 32 team will have to start at the back but dont count them out.
Happy's Notes Misc.
-----------------------------------------------
- The new "No Racing back to the caution" rule will take effect at Dover. It'll be interesting to see how the drivers react to the change.
- Also, starting at next year and hopefully I'll test it out within the next few weeks, Happy's Notes will be taking on another race prediction system. I'm going to average the driver's best finishes the past few races ran at that track and well it's pretty complicated so you'll know when you find out.
Race: Sunday, September 21, 2003 in Dover, DE
Winston Cup Race #28 of 36 for the 2003 Winston Cup season
1:00pm/et/ NBC
Dover International Speedway
Superspeedway: 1.0-mile oval
Banking: turns: 24 degrees; straights: 9 degrees
The Top 5 Championship Contenders
-----------------------------------------------
- Matt Kenseth finished 7th in this years earlier Dover race. Of course, Dover is where he made his first start in 1998 where he finished 6th and that race and came back to finish in the top 5 the next year. He starts on the pole because of owners points. He looks to keep that huge points lead steady over Dale Earnhardt Jr by 404 points. He finished 4th in last years Dover race.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr probably had the strongest car at New Hampshire International Speedway until a spring in the engine had a problem. However he was able to maintain speed and was able to keep up a good pit strategy and wound up 5th. Dale Jr. won an emotional victory at Dover in 2001 after the September 11th terrorist attacks, he had the fastest speed in Saturday's Happy Hour. He looks to get his first non-restrictor plate win since then. In 2002, he led 116 laps until finishing in 27th, in this year's earlier Dover race, he finished 11th.
- Kevin Harvick had a strong run going at New Hampshire until the car ran out of fuel and stalled coming to pit road, that error cost him the win and more ground to point leader Matt Kenseth, Harvick finished 13th there. Harvick hasnt had much to show at Dover except for a top 10 in the 2001 September race and a top 10 in Saturday's Busch Series race. By starting 3rd behind Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr, Harvick could be a serious threat to win this race.
- Jimmie Johnson has to be the hottest driver in NASCAR right now. He has three wins this season, both at Loudon and one at Lowes Motor Speedway and a non-points victory at the Winston All-Star Race. Johnson swept both Dover races last year but wrecked in this year's June Race. Keep an eye on that 48 car.
- Ryan Newman, alongside Kenseth, Earnhardt, Harvick and Johnson has also been on a hot streak. He won this years earlier Dover race leading 112 laps there. He has the most wins this season at 6 and the most poles at 7 and is still mathematically (although it'll take a lot of bad luck on the leader's part) in the hunt for the Championship. Newman also finished 7th in the 2002 September race.
The Drivers to Watch:
-----------------------------------------------
- No doubt, the driver to watch will be Jimmie Johnson. He won last year's Dover race, however he crashed in the June race this year. However starting up front in 4th will give Johnson and a few others a better chance than the other guys.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr coming off a good top 5 at Loudon, he dominated the 2001 September Dover race, he led the most laps in the 2002 September Dover race before finishing in the back. Can he win? He has a great shot to by starting second.
- Ryan Newman could be running away with the championship were it not for the wrecks and engine failures. Newman looking to get his 7th win of the season and the Dover sweep.
- Kevin Harvick, starting up front will give the 29 GM Goodwrench team some good track position. He finished out of the top 10 the past 2 races, however Dover could be a good place to start a good streak.
- Matt Kenseth, some strong finishes at Dover. He starts on the pole, if Kenseth can break out early then he'll be tough to catch all day long.
- Tony Stewart, has won several times at Dover. Finished 5th in the 2002 September race, possibly had the strongest car in the June race until a pit violation cost him the victory. Now Stewart looks to settle the score and get his second win of the season.
- Ricky Craven, finished in the top 10 in the 2001 September race and again in the 2002 September race. The 32 team will have to start at the back but dont count them out.
Happy's Notes Misc.
-----------------------------------------------
- The new "No Racing back to the caution" rule will take effect at Dover. It'll be interesting to see how the drivers react to the change.
- Also, starting at next year and hopefully I'll test it out within the next few weeks, Happy's Notes will be taking on another race prediction system. I'm going to average the driver's best finishes the past few races ran at that track and well it's pretty complicated so you'll know when you find out.
That would be really great.