dover

SUNDAY UPDATE:  Hi all.  I'm very sorry but am unable to post any further update this weekend.  I just haven't had the time to prepare like I normally do this weekend and I'd rather be silent then steer anyone the wrong way.  I'll be back in full next week!

The season is starting to wind down, so we want to finish strong.  Dover this weekend which means we've got 400 laps and need to find those Dominators again with 200 points available for fastest laps and another 100 for laps led.  Here are some notes and driver targets to focus on as the race weekend unfolds:

• In the last two Spring races at Dover, we've had one Dominator who really pulled away from everyone else.  This Spring, it was Kevin Harvick who led 201 laps and had 113 fastest laps.  He scored 106.75 extra DK points from that, with the next closest driver (Brad Keselowski) scoring 41 extra DK points with 108 laps led and 28 fastest laps.  In Spring 2017, it was Kyle Larson who led 241 laps and had 78 fastest laps.  He scored 99.25 extra DK points from that, with the next closest driver (Martin Truex) scoring 51.5 extra DK points with 102 laps led and 52 fastest laps.
• However, the last two Fall races have featured two or even three Dominators finishing with a relatively similar number of extra DK points.  In Fall 2017, Chase Elliott led 138 laps with 47 fastest laps and Kyle Larson had an almost identical 137 laps led with 48 fastest laps.  They scored 58 and 58.25 extra DK points, respectively.  Martin Truex came next with 31.75 extra DK points based on 51 laps led and 38 fastest laps.  In Fall 2016, Martin Truex led 187 laps with 82 fastest laps for 87.75 extra DK points.  Jimmie Johnson led 90 laps with 83 fastest laps for 64 extra DK points.  And Kyle Busch led 102 laps with 47 fastest laps for 49 extra DK points.
• So, we're going to be looking to have at least two Dominator candidates in our starting lineup this week.  As for who those guys might be, here you go:
• Martin Truex has finished in the Top 4 in the last 4 races here and he's been in the Dominator picture in three of those four races.  At $11,500, he's very expensive, but he is the cheapest of the Big Three.
• Chase Elliott has finished in the Top 5 here in 4 of his 5 Cup series races.  As we noted above, he was one of the Dominators in this race last Fall.
• Daniel Suarez has 3 Cup Series races at Dover and he's finished 6th, 8th and 3rd in those three races.
• Kyle Larson has two 2nd place finishes here in the last five races and he's been in the Dominator picture in 3 of the last 5 races here.  At $10,200, he's priced well below the Big Three even though he has the potential to outscore each of them.
• Jimmie Johnson has four straight Top 10 finishes here.  He doesn't dominate here like he did in his prime, but it is still his best track.  
• Brad Keselowski led 108 laps here in the Spring and has 4 Top 10 finishes in the last 5 races here.
• Clint Bowyer went from 12th to 2nd with 40 laps led here in the Spring.  Last Fall, he started 19th and finished 6th.  
• Kevin Harvick started 2nd, led 201 laps and won the Spring race here earlier this year.  He's had an inconsistent record here over the years but he was the class of the field in Spring.

We'll have more after cars hit the track Friday and leading into Sunday's race.