Fan's Eye View ~ Dover And Drivers: Strange Bedfellows

6/03/2013

Jim Fitzgerald

 

 

“It’s definitely one of the most difficult we go to, without a doubt.  I think the hardest thing about this place is getting your car to do what you want.  The second hardest thing is when it’s not doing what you want, trying to drive the thing for 400 laps.  It’s miserable to have a car that is not doing what you want here.”

 

Martin Truex, Jr. minced no words on Friday as he prepared for the weekend’s activity at Dover International Speedway.  It’s is one of the toughest tracks on the current Sprint Cup Series Circuit, but it is also one of his favorite. In fact, as tough as Dover is to drive, you'll find a lot of drivers who enjoy the experience.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Truex said.  “It’s always nice to come home.  Everyone knows I consider this kind of my home track.  It’s always fun to come back here.  Our team has been doing a good job here lately and this is a good track for us to come to and hopefully break through and get back to Victory Lane.”

 

Both former winners at Dover, Truex and Matt Kenseth had similar statements when asked what they thought about the Monster Mile.

 

“I’ve always liked it, that doesn’t mean that I’ve always done well here, necessarily,” Kenseth offered.  “It’s just a really unique track.  We don’t really have any high bank, true, one-mile ovals, without doglegs and all that stuff.  Concrete and elevation changes, it is one of the tracks that really challenges you even when you’re by yourself.  Then when you get racing, everybody just makes it that much more difficult.  It’s just one that since the first time I came here I really liked.  It kind of fits my style.  You can really attack it all day and I always enjoy that.”

 

Kurt Busch chimed in when asked about the physical toughness required to race competitively at Dover.

 

“You’re just on the edge here and the speed that you have to carry on corner exit, you’re right there on the edge or smacking the wall on every corner exit and you do it 800 times with 400 laps and two corner exits, that makes it tough.  This race will wear you out for sure and you have to pace yourself.”

 

Busch should know.  He won here in 2011.  When asked if he enjoyed racing at Dover, Clint Bowyer said it would be a 400 lap battle, but one he will looking forward to.

 

“It is fun, but I’m telling you, you are going to work hard for it.  You’ve got to fight this “monster” every lap.  I’ve won a couple of Nationwide races here, haven’t won a Cup race, but love this track.  It’s demanding and we’ve been getting better as a team, I feel, each and every week.  We’re getting closer and closer, so hopefully we’ll inch in on that and maybe get us one here at Dover.”

 

Kevin Harvick flashed back on the first time he got his hands on The Monster with a fond memory.

 

“My first experience here was the only pole I ever had here.  We sat on the pole in the Nationwide Race and we were able to have a pretty good day.  We had a flat tire, but I had a pretty good first experience here.”

 

So, does Harvick still find Dover easier to drive than his Sprint Cup Series counterparts?

 

“It got harder when we started racing on Sundays,” Harvick mused.  “Should be a fun weekend.  This is a racetrack you can be really aggressive with the car getting into the corners and have to be aggressive with the car throughout every lap to make time.  It’s a fun place to drive.”

 

Even young Darrell Wallace, Jr., driver of the Kyle Busch Motorsports No.54 Toyota in the Camping World Truck has love for the Monster Mile.  In his as of yet short career, Wallace has been fairly successful on the high banks of the one mile concrete oval. 

 

“There’s something about this track,” Wallace said.  “Me and this track get along great.  In qualifying, I don’t know…it’s like we’re in a relationship or something because we get along great.  Four poles in a row, so you’ll hear me say that a lot.  I told the guys, ‘If we don’t get the (Truck Series) pole, I’ll be livid!’  We backed it up and we got it, so it’s cool to actually come out here and race.  The first time I was here, I was scared to death of going into turn one.  Now I just try to go after it, it’s my favorite track.  I love coming here.  I wish we came here twice.”

 

So, different drivers have different feelings and views on the Monster Mile.  Those feelings may or may not be a direct reflection on the successes and failures each has had when it comes to navigating the Monster Mile.  One thing is for certain, when the drivers and Miles The Monster get together twice a year for shenanigans, the fans come away winners every time.

 

 

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