SPRINT CUP SERIES 5/27/15

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Johnson Attempts to Join Quartet of NASCAR Hall of Famers with 10 or More Wins at Single Track

Jimmie Johnson will attempt to become just the fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver with 10 or more wins at a single track in Sunday’s FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1). With a visit to Victory Lane, he will join a club that includes NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty (Martinsville-15, North Wilkesboro-15, Richmond-13, Rockingham-11, Daytona-10), Darrell Waltrip (Bristol-12, Martinsville-11, North Wilkesboro-10), Dale Earnhardt (Talladega-10) and David Pearson (Darlington-10).

Johnson’s nine wins are a Dover track record. He is the defending spring race winner. Johnson entered last weekend’s race at Charlotte as the track wins record-holder and defending race victor, but finished 40th after two spins.

Mad Martin: Truex Tries to Make Home Track his “Fury Road”

Martin Truex Jr. must be pretty mad right now.

He has probably raced as well as a driver can without capturing a win this season. He led the most laps in each of the last two races (Kansas, 95; Charlotte, 131), but finished fifth and ninth, respectively. Through 12 races, he ranks second in the standings behind three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, but is still not one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ nine winners.

Truex will try to change this by making Dover International Speedway – his home track – his own “Fury Road.” The No. 78 Furniture Row Racing driver won his first NSCS race at Dover (6/4/07) and his eight top 10s there are his second-most at any track.

Roush Turnaround?: No. 16 Produces Top Finish of Season

As spring turns to summer, kids and adults alike flock to their backyards to play Wiffle Ball with plastic bats and balls.

At the same time, it looks like Greg Biffle is playing his own game … let’s call it “Biffle ball” – except there’s nothing soft about it.

The No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing driver placed second in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 – his highest finish since his runner-up showing at Talladega last year. Biffle’s finish was also tops for Roush Fenway Racing since Carl Edwards won at Sonoma last year.

In the last three weeks, Biffle has shown a marked improvement, posting a 12th-place showing at Kansas, a win in the first segment of the Sprint Showdown and the aforementioned runner-up showing in the Coca-Cola 600.

Biffle will try to continue his success and RFR’s turnaround in Sunday’s FedEx 400 benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway. In 25 starts on the one-mile oval, Biffle claims two wins, six top fives (24.0%) and 11 top 10s (44.0%). He also has the fourth-most fastest laps run (435) and fifth-best driver rating (97.4) at Dover.

Backflip’s Back, Alright: Edwards Captures First Win in Almost a Year

Carl Edwards was able to celebrate a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race with his trademark backflip for the first time in nearly a year after clever pit strategy by crew chief Darian Grubb allowed him to take the lead late in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 and hold off former teammate Greg Biffle for the win.

Edwards became the NSCS’ ninth different winner this season and visited Victory Lane for the first time since placing first at Sonoma last year (6/22/14). 

The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver will try to win his second consecutive race in Sunday’s FedEx 400 benefitting Autism Speaks. His one Dover victory came on Sept. 23, 2007. Only Kevin Harvick has won two consecutive races this season (Las Vegas and Phoenix).

Gordon Goes for First Win of Season at Dover

Fifteen races have passed since Jeff Gordon’s last win.

The site of that victory – Dover International Speedway.

Gordon returns to the “Monster Mile” ready to put a one in the win column and improve his 12th-place standing on the Chase Grid. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver claims five wins at Dover, second-most to Jimmie Johnson among active drivers. Other than Gordon and Johnson, the drivers with at least five wins at Dover are all in the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Richard Petty (7), Bobby Allison (7) and David Pearson (5).

In 44 starts at Dover (first all-time), Gordon owns 18 top-five (40.9%) and 25 top-10 finishes (56.8%).

Smoke May Rise: Dover Strong Track for Stewart and Site of His Last Win

Tony Stewart has had a rough season with just one top-10 finish in 12 starts – a sixth-place showing at Bristol.

Luckily for the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, he can virtually lock up a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a victory. This Sunday he heads to one of his better tracks – Dover International Speedway – where has earned three wins, including his last victory (6/2/13).

Joe Gibbs Racing Keeps On Winning

Winning has been a habit for Joe Gibbs throughout his life. Not only does he boast three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, he also owns three Super Bowl rings.

After winning just two races last season, JGR has three this year, plus Denny Hamlin’s triumph in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. In the past two months, the Huntersville, North Carolina-based organization has put Hamlin (Martinsville, All-Star Race), Matt Kenseth (Bristol) and Carl Edwards (Charlotte) in Victory Lane.

JGR’s only driver yet to win is arguably its ace, Kyle Busch, who placed 11th in his first points-paying race of the season at Charlotte. Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after suffering an injury in a crash during the NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway.

To earn a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch must win a race in the regular season, while finishing it in the top 30 in points. In 20 starts at Dover, he has two wins, nine top fives (45.0%) and 13 top 10s (65.0%).

History Lesson: At Dover, Donlavey Gets First Win

Despite a career that spanned parts of six decades, the late Junie Donlavey could easily identify his high-water mark in NASCAR competition: the 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 at Dover International Speedway.

Donlavey, one of the most well-liked figures in NASCAR history, had been chasing his first NASCAR premier series win for over 30 years. The affable Virginian had 348 starts under his belt but no trophies to show for it. That is, until reigning rookie of the year Jody Ridley did what NASCAR Hall of Famers Joe Weatherly, Fred Lorenzen and Bobby Isaac were unable to do.

The race was dominated by Neil Bonnett, who led 404 laps in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford before blowing an engine with 40 laps remaining. Cale Yarborough, who picked up the lead, could only run for 20 more laps before succumbing to a similar fate.

That left Ridley in the lead in Donlavey’s classic No. 90. He led the final 20 laps of the race and took Donlavey to Victory Lane for the only time at NASCAR’s highest level.

“This has got to be a bigger thrill for Junie than it is for me,” Ridley said after the race. “He’s been at it for almost 30 years.”

Indeed, he was right.

“It’s even better, sweeter, than I ever imagined, and I am ever so grateful,” Donlavey told Tom Higgins the following week.

Donlavey continued fielding cars until 2002, amassing 863 premier series starts. He passed away on June 9, 2014.