Fantasy NASCAR Picks 2009 – Dover
Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards the Drivers to Beat at the Monster Mile
May 27, 2009
Dover may not be one of the most well-known tracks in NASCAR, but there is no question that it is not just one of the toughest in the sport – it is also the most intimidating. Think of it as Bristol on steroids; with high-banked corners and a unique concrete surface, the Monster Mile has a reputation for eating up cars and drivers. Because it is so tough to survive 400 miles at Dover, it can be difficult to pick your fantasy roster. Here are the best bets for your NASCAR fantasy team at Dover:
Favorites at Dover International Speedway
1. Greg Biffle – Biffle may not be the first driver that comes to mind when talking about Dover, but his record speaks for itself; The Biff has two wins at the Monster Mile, and has been close to unbeatable the past few years, with top-5 finishes in four of the last five races here and top-10’s in seven of the last eight. Biffle leads all active drivers with an impressive 116.6 driver rating at Dover the last four seasons, and should be a fixture at the front of the field Sunday.
2. Carl Edwards – Nobody is exactly sure why, but Edwards is amazing on concrete tracks. It does not matter whether he is racing a Truck, Nationwide or Cup car, if there is concrete involved, Edwards always finds his way to the front. Even Carl can’t explain it. That makes him a great pick for Dover; Edwards has five straight finishes of third or better at the Monster Mile, including one win, and his average finish is 7.7. If you have starts left for Carl on your team, he should be in the lineup.
3. Matt Kenseth – Finishing off the trio of Roush-Fenway drivers at the top of the Dover list is Matt Kenseth. Like his teammates, Kenseth has an impressive track record at the Monster Mile; his driver rating of 114.5 is second only to Biffle, and over the past four years, Kenseth has led more laps at the concrete oval than any other driver. Kenseth has dropped off the map this season after winning the first two races of the year, but is a strong comeback candidate at Dover, especially after 10th place finishes the past two weeks.
Safe Picks for a Solid Dover Finish
1. Jimmie Johnson – Johnson has three wins at the Monster Mile, but only one of those has come since his rookie season back in 2002, when he swept both events. Johnson should still be a strong contender, though; with top-7 finishes in both Dover races last season and an average finish of 11th over his career, the No. 48 car is definitely a safe pick this weekend.
2. Mark Martin – Many drivers have had success here and there at the Monster Mile, but nobody has displayed the kind of consistency here that Martin has. At one of the toughest tracks in NASCAR, Mark has an average finish of 12.8 – over 45 career races. Martin has four wins, an amazing 21 top-5’s, and top-10 finishes in eight of the last ten races at the concrete oval. Even if Martin does not win, he is almost a lock for a top-10 finish.
3. Kyle Busch – Kyle Busch has not dominated this season like many had expected, but the No.18 car could take a big step in the right direction at Dover. His results at the Monster Mile have been hit-and-miss the past few years, but Busch is the defending race winner, and after strong runs at Charlotte and Richmond, the Shrub is primed for another good performance.
Dover Underdogs
1. Martin Truex, Jr. – Truex won his first ever Cup series race at Dover in 2007, and while he has not been to Victory Lane here since, Truex has still performed well at the Monster Mile; he has an average finish of 11th, and has been sixth of better in three of the past six races in the First State. After a sixth place finish in the Southern 500, Truex could turn in a similar performance this weekend.
2. Jamie McMurray – McMurray has struggled to find consistency at the high-banked oval, but on the occasion that he gets the car right for the track, it usually results in a top-10 finish. McMurray has scored a top-10 in two of the last three here, and with his Roush teammates being so good at Dover, there is a good chance a little of that mojo might rub off on the No. 26 team.
3. Joey Logano - Logano has no track record in a Cup car at Dover, but he has quietly gotten a lot better in the past month after an awful start to his rookie season. Logano has ninth-place finishes in three of his last four races, and looked strong in the Sprint Showdown on All-Star weekend, as well. If he and the No.20 team show up with a decent car at Dover, Logano could turn in another surprise performance.
Because it is so fast, tough and intimidating, the Monster Mile presents a unique challenge picking the right drivers for your fantasy team. There is always at least one surprise near the front of the field every time out here, but by sticking to the handful of drivers that have the high-banked concrete oval figured out, you can maximize the number of points your NASCAR fantasy team scores.
