Sprint Cup 2012: Race 29 -- Dueling with the Monster

The qualifying order looks bright for the Toyotas in the chase for tomorrow’s AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway with Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. taking the first three starting positions to lead the field. Greg Biffle in the #16 Ford in 6^th, Jeff Gordon in the #24 Chevy in 7^th are the next chasers in the lineup. Second round practice tells a much different tale with teammates Jeff Gordon in 1^st and Jimmie Johnson in 3^rd for the best practice results. Brad Keselowski in 6^th is the only other chase driver in the top 10 and no additional chasers check in until Kasey Kahne check in driving the #5 Chevy in 13^th and Greg Biffle in 14^th while pole sitter, Denny Hamlin’s practice results were only 17^th best.

Dover is one of the trickiest tracks on the circuit, but recent history certainly likes Jimmie Johnson who won the June race in Delaware. Johnson’s seven wins, 10 top 5’s and 15 top 10’s while posting an average 8.9 finish clearly show the five time champ’s affinity for the Monster Mile, a good stepping stone toward a possible 6^th championship.

Yen chase drivers start in the top 13 on a track where position is most important for good results with Kevin Harvick at the bottom of that pack. The burden is much tougher for Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. who lineup in 24^th and 25^th.

There is no way to put it politely, there is way too much garbage cluttering up the field that has no business running in the top series in NASCAR.  While having 48 cars entered to qualify for 43 starting positions, not a single of the five cars failing to make the field are ones that would not start and park. On top of that, far too many junk entries did make the field with the rolling free loaders starting as high as 23^rd for the#25 Ford drive by Josh Wise. Up to eight cars could be long gone when the checkered flag drops and at a track where accidents happen early, it would be disgraceful if a team racing for the championship could be buried beneath an entry with no intention to complete the race at all.

Trial by fire, Danica Patrick starts 38^th in one of her limited Sprint Cup starts for 2012. This will be a tough initiation into the big league world that awaits her. Having completed the entire 200 laps in Nationwide competition is only a hint of what a full day of cup racing has to offer. Another driver getting ready for full-time action, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. starts 17^th in the #6 Ford. 

Starting Lineup: (Chase drivers shown in CAPS)

POS		CAR		DRIVER		MAKE		SPONSOR		SPEED
1		11		DENNY HAMLIN		Toyota		FedEx Office		159.299
2		15		CLINT BOWYER		Toyota		5-hour Energy		159.264
3		56		MARTIN TRUEX JR.		Toyota		NAPA Auto Parts		159.201
4		22		Sam Hornish Jr.		Dodge		Shell / Pennzoil		158.758
5		18		Kyle Busch		Toyota		Interstate Batteries		158.667
6		16		GREG BIFFLE		Ford		Scotch-Brite		158.541
7		24		JEFF GORDON		Chevrolet		Drive to End Hunger		158.444
8		39		Ryan Newman		Chevrolet		U.S. Army		158.297
9		5		KASEY KAHNE		Chevrolet		Farmers Insurance		158.256
10		2		BRAD KESELOWSKI		Dodge		Miller Lite		158.151
11		48		JIMMIE JOHNSON		Chevrolet		Lowe's / Kobalt Tools		158.089
12		17		MATT KENSETH		Ford		Ford EcoBoost		157.992
13		29		KEVIN HARVICK		Chevrolet		Budweiser		157.971
14		20		Joey Logano		Toyota		The Home Depot		157.971
15		99		Carl Edwards		Ford		Fastenal		157.95
16		47		Bobby Labonte		Toyota		Kingsford		157.819
17		6		Ricky Stenhouse Jr.		Ford		Cargill		157.784
18		78		Regan Smith		Chevrolet		Furniture Row / Farm American		157.653
19		27		Paul Menard		Chevrolet		Menards / CertainTeed		157.604
20		1		Jamie McMurray		Chevrolet		McDonald's		156.958
21		43		Aric Almirola		Ford		Super 8		156.924
22		83		Landon Cassill		Toyota		Burger King / Dr Pepper		156.829
23		26		Josh Wise*		Ford		MDS Transport		156.631
24		14		TONY STEWART		Chevrolet		Office Depot / Mobil 1		156.597
25		88		DALE EARNHARDT JR.		Chevrolet		National Guard / Diet Mountain Dew		156.542
26		55		Mark Martin		Toyota		Aaron's 2000th Store / Bronx, NY		156.488
27		9		Marcos Ambrose		Ford		Dewalt		156.298
28		51		Kurt Busch		Chevrolet		Phoenix Construction		156.23
29		91		Reed Sorenson		Chevrolet		Plinker Tactical		156.223
30		13		Casey Mears		Ford		GEICO		156.182
31		34		David Ragan		Ford		Long John Silver's		156.02
32		98		Michael McDowell		Ford		Phil Parsons Racing		155.885
33		93		Travis Kvapil		Toyota		Burger King / Dr Pepper		155.709
34		95		Scott Speed		Ford		Jordan Truck Sales		155.44
35		42		Juan Montoya		Chevrolet		Target		155.38
36		23		Scott Riggs		Chevrolet		North Texas Pipe		155.253
37		87		Joe Nemechek		Toyota		AM / FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves		155.059
38		10		Danica Patrick		Chevrolet		GoDaddy.com		155.025
39		31		Jeff Burton		Chevrolet		Caterpillar		154.646
40		36		J.J. Yeley+		Chevrolet		Drive Sober, Drive Alive DE		154.553
41		32		T.J. Bell+		Ford		Greensmoke		154.182
42		38		David Gilliland+		Ford		Taco Bell		153.689
43		37		Dave Blaney		Chevrolet		MaxQworkforce		155.025
Did Not Qualify
44		30		David Stremme		Toyota		Inception Motorsports		154.759
45		19		Mike Bliss		Toyota		Plinker Tactical		154.639
46		49		Jason Leffler		Toyota		Robinson-Blakeney Racing		154.467
47		33		Cole Whitt		Chevrolet		Little Joes Autos		153.741
48		79		Kelly Bires		Ford		Bestway Disposal		153.682