CONCORD, N.C. - The "Monster Mile" awaits Hendrick Motorsports and the NASCAR Cup Series.
The series travels north to Dover Motor Speedway this weekend to compete at the 1-mile concrete venue. The event serves as the track's lone date on the 2024 schedule and is one of three tracks to feature an all-concrete racing surface—Bristol Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway are the other two.
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With 24 degrees of banking in the turns and nine on the straightaways, no track gives a sensation of speed quite like the one in Dover, Delaware. Due to the concrete racing surface, the facility lays down rubber from the tires in a unique fashion. The bottom line? Dover's conditions consistently bring the best drivers to the front of the field.
"Setup-wise for us, it’s got a lot of mile-and-a-half loading stuff," Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, said of how the team prepares for Dover. "You use mile-and-a-half information and then you use Bristol (Motor Speedway) because of the concrete and the tires are similar. Then, it is its own animal. Year after year, Dover's got a lot of the same setup, so you kind of put that in the box and look at it again."
Rick Hendrick's group has claimed victory at Dover on 22 occasions, with Geoff Bodine scoring the team's first win on the track in 1986. The 22 wins are the second-most at any track on the circuit for one team (behind Hendrick Motorsports' record 29 victories at Martinsville Speedway). Jimmie Johnson's track-record 11 victories at Dover all came with Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 is the winningest car at the track (12). Team vice chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon earned five wins at Dover, while Chase Elliott has two. Alex Bowman, Ken Schrader and Ricky Rudd each sit in a tie with Bodine at one victory for the organization at the 1-mile circuit.
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The 2023 Cup Series visit to Dover saw the race postponed to Monday afternoon. In the 400-mile main event, William Byron paced the field for a race-high 193 circuits, earning a stage victory along the way. While he would settle for a fourth-place finish, the driver of the No. 24 would surpass 2,000 career laps led in the Cup Series on the day. Rounding out the top 10 was Josh Berry in the No. 48 Chevrolet, subbing for the injured Bowman. Elliott would finish in the 11th position, while Kyle Larson ended the main event in 32nd after contact with a spinning No. 15 entry caused significant damage to Larson's car in stage one.
KEY NUMBERS TO KNOW FOR DOVER
Data provided by Racing Insights
Larson, No. 5 team
At 1,532 circuits, Larson leads the Cup Series in laps run inside the top five this season. This consistency has propelled the No. 5 team to lead the regular season standings since the Martinsville spring event. Watch out for the Elk Grove, California, native this weekend. His 8.60 average finish at Dover across 15 starts is the best of any active driver (with a minimum of two races completed) and his 899 laps at the venue are his most at any track.
Elliott, No. 9 team
Dover is one of four tracks that Elliott has found victory lane at twice in his career, as he won in September of 2018 and May of 2022. At this track in the Next Gen race car, his 304 laps completed inside the top five are the sixth-best of all Cup Series drivers. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native's 9.85 average finish at the 1-mile track is fifth-best all-time and second-best among active full-time drivers. With nine top-five results at Dover, his most at any track, (in just 13 starts) watch for Elliott to be a factor on Sunday.
Byron, No. 24 team
Although the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has not yet found victory lane at Dover, Byron carries a lot of momentum into Delaware. With three wins already this season and an active five-race top-10 streak, the No. 24 team has consistently put together solid results. He also leads the Hendrick Motorsports quartet in terms of laps run inside the top five (308, fifth among all drivers) and top 10 (555, fourth among all drivers) at Dover in the Next Gen car.
Bowman, No. 48 team
The driver of the No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet will compete in his 300th career Cup Series race this weekend. In his last six starts at Dover, Bowman has earned five top-five results, highlighted by leading Hendrick Motorsports to a 1-2-3-4 finish in 2021. While he is still looking for a win in 2024, Bowman's four top-five results put him in a tie for the most of any driver in the Cup Series this season.
Hendrick Motorsports
Dover ranks second on the all-time laps led rankings for Hendrick Motorsports at 7,549 circuits completed at the front of the field. Martinsville (10,852 laps led) is the only track where the team has been out front for more laps.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Neither Elliott nor Larson have finished lower than sixth at Dover in any race in which they have led a lap.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND TV COVERAGE
Saturday, April 27
10:30 a.m. ET: Practice - FS1
11:20 a.m. ET: Qualifying - FS1
Byron is in Group A, while Larson, Elliott and Bowman are all in Group B.
Sunday, April 28
2 p.m. ET: Cup Series race - FS1
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STAGE LENGTHS
Cup Series race
Stage 1: Lap 120
Stage 2: Lap 250
End of Race: Lap 400
WILL THE RACE BE ON THE RADIO?
Yes, listeners can find both events on PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
WHERE CAN I STREAM THE BROADCAST?
Fans can watch all the action with the FOX Sports Live app. For live updates and additional content during the race, head over to X and follow @TeamHendrick for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
HOW CAN I FIND FS1?
The channel number may vary depending on the location. Use this link to enter your zip code and select your television provider for assistance in finding what channel number FS1 is on your provider.