DuraMAX Drydene 400 Race Preview and Pick
NASCAR Cup Series: DuraMAX Drydene 400
Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 3 p.m. ET (FS1) at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware
Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain is having the season of his life.
Before last week's GEICO 500, he had already won one race.
After winning last week's race, he now has two wins on the season.
His is a tough act to follow. After his last victory, he didn't handle success well as he broke a streak of top-three finishes by suffering a 19th-placed finish at Richmond.
Whether he handles success better this Sunday is ultimately immaterial because we are trying to consider who will win the race.
It is really hard to win back-to-back races in NASCAR. Given this historical reality, we should exclude Chastain from our list of candidates to win.
Race Info
For this Sunday's race, drivers must complete a total of 400 laps.
There are, as has always been the case, three stages for this race.
Stage 1 consists in the first 120 laps.
Stage 2 terminates upon completion of the 250th lap.
Stage 3 requires drivers to complete 150 more laps.
As is the norm, an entry list has been posted for this race.
36 teams/drivers have filled 40 potential spots.
So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we already know which drivers will compete in this race.
As for the starting lineup, that gets determined via qualifying.
For this race, there will be a practice session that starts on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET
That ends at 11:05 a.m. ET, which is when qualifying is slated to begin.
Qualifying for this race will single-car, two laps, and two rounds.
Track Info
Some drivers have complained about the width of this track especially in its more critical areas.
Passing can be difficult, especially when the package facilitates higher speeds.
This track is a shorter one. It is a mile long.
So, in completing 400 laps, drivers will have accrued 400 miles.
Its length inspires its famous nickname: "The Monster Mile."
It has a concrete surface since 1995 before which its surface was asphalt.
The banking here is pretty nice. The turns are banked at 24 degrees while the straights are banked at a solid nine degrees.
Banking helps drivers corral momentum for their cars so that they run faster.
Driver I Dislike
After Denny Hamlin won the race at Richmond, people might have begun the expecting the Hamlin who was more dangerous even recently in prior segments of his career.
After his win, in his last races, he finished 28th, 35th, and 18th, respectively.
His history at Dover offers no hope of any turnaround because he so often performs poorly here.
In his last two races at Dover, he finished seventh most recently and 19th before that.
Given his current form and his history at this track, I strongly disagree with his being the fifth-most favored driver here.
There are absolutely better options out there.
My Guy
I like Kyle Larson to bounce back from a tough loss.
Last week, he looked poised to enter the lead and win the race when Erik Jones blocked his path and thus allowed Ross Chastain to pull off the win.
Larson is in a great spot this Sunday because he has the best recent history at this track.
He has three straight top-three finishes here: he finished second in his last try here, first before that, and third before that.
Best Bet: Kyle Larson Winner at +450 with Bovada
NASCAR Cup Series: DuraMAX Drydene 400
Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 3 p.m. ET (FS1) at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware
Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain is having the season of his life.
Before last week's GEICO 500, he had already won one race.
After winning last week's race, he now has two wins on the season.
His is a tough act to follow. After his last victory, he didn't handle success well as he broke a streak of top-three finishes by suffering a 19th-placed finish at Richmond.
Whether he handles success better this Sunday is ultimately immaterial because we are trying to consider who will win the race.
It is really hard to win back-to-back races in NASCAR. Given this historical reality, we should exclude Chastain from our list of candidates to win.
Race Info
For this Sunday's race, drivers must complete a total of 400 laps.
There are, as has always been the case, three stages for this race.
Stage 1 consists in the first 120 laps.
Stage 2 terminates upon completion of the 250th lap.
Stage 3 requires drivers to complete 150 more laps.
As is the norm, an entry list has been posted for this race.
36 teams/drivers have filled 40 potential spots.
So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we already know which drivers will compete in this race.
As for the starting lineup, that gets determined via qualifying.
For this race, there will be a practice session that starts on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET
That ends at 11:05 a.m. ET, which is when qualifying is slated to begin.
Qualifying for this race will single-car, two laps, and two rounds.
Track Info
Some drivers have complained about the width of this track especially in its more critical areas.
Passing can be difficult, especially when the package facilitates higher speeds.
This track is a shorter one. It is a mile long.
So, in completing 400 laps, drivers will have accrued 400 miles.
Its length inspires its famous nickname: "The Monster Mile."
It has a concrete surface since 1995 before which its surface was asphalt.
The banking here is pretty nice. The turns are banked at 24 degrees while the straights are banked at a solid nine degrees.
Banking helps drivers corral momentum for their cars so that they run faster.
Driver I Dislike
After Denny Hamlin won the race at Richmond, people might have begun the expecting the Hamlin who was more dangerous even recently in prior segments of his career.
After his win, in his last races, he finished 28th, 35th, and 18th, respectively.
His history at Dover offers no hope of any turnaround because he so often performs poorly here.
In his last two races at Dover, he finished seventh most recently and 19th before that.
Given his current form and his history at this track, I strongly disagree with his being the fifth-most favored driver here.
There are absolutely better options out there.
My Guy
I like Kyle Larson to bounce back from a tough loss.
Last week, he looked poised to enter the lead and win the race when Erik Jones blocked his path and thus allowed Ross Chastain to pull off the win.
Larson is in a great spot this Sunday because he has the best recent history at this track.
He has three straight top-three finishes here: he finished second in his last try here, first before that, and third before that.
Best Bet: Kyle Larson Winner at +450 with Bovada
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