FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: DOVER PLAYOFF ADVANCE
The Round of 12 begins this weekend at Dover International Speedway for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series while the NASCAR XFINITY Series will trim its Playoff-contending field from 12 to 8 with an elimination race. Here’s a look at where Ford stands in both series.
7-OF-12
No manufacturer has more competitors still in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs than Ford as all seven drivers representing Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske advanced to the Round of 12. Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney got there after winning at Las Vegas and Charlotte, respectively, while Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola made it on points.
ROUND OF 12 FORD FACT
The three tracks that compose the Round of 12 have all hosted one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race this season, and they’ve all ended up with a Ford in Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick posted wins at Dover and Kansas in back-to-back weeks last May while Joey Logano captured the Geico 500 at Talladega in April.
15 AND COUNTING
Ford leads all manufacturers in wins on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit this season with 15 and is on pace for its best season in that department since 1997 when it won 19 times. Ford has won 15 races or more in a season six times in the modern era (1972-present) with the best season being 1994 when Blue Oval drivers posted 20 victories.
WINS – SEASON
20 – 1994 (31 races)
19 – 1997 (32 races)
16 – 1992 (29 races)
16 – 2005 (36 races)
15 – 1998 (33 races)
15 – 2018 (Through 29 races)
FORD IN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES AT DOVER
· Ford has 26 all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Dover.
· Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick all have series wins at Dover.
· Richard Petty won the inaugural race at Dover while driving a Ford in 1969.
FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT DOVER
· Ford has 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at Dover.
· Mark Martin won Ford’s first series event at Dover in 1987.
· Joey Logano won a series-record four straight Dover races from 2012-13.
ROUND OF 12 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Dover)
4th – Cole Custer (+14 points ahead of 9th-place Austin Cindric)
9th – Austin Cindric (-9 from final transfer spot)
11th – Ryan Reed (-25 from final transfer spot)
CHASING ROUSH FENWAY
The last time Roush Fenway Racing finished 1-2-3 in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was on Sept. 21, 2008 at Dover International Speedway when Greg Biffle edged Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards to the checkered flag. The three Jack Roush Fusions battled each other over the closing laps with Biffle making the decisive pass on the outside of leader Kenseth coming off turn four with only nine circuits remaining. The victory was Biffle’s second straight to open the 2008 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after winning the opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the previous week.
ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE KING
Ford won the inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Raceway in 1969 when Richard Petty drove to victory lane on July 6. That marked the only year in which The King drove a Ford and was the fourth of nine wins for him that season, and it came in dominating fashion as he led half of the 300 laps, including the final 109. It was a Ford day all-around as the Blue Oval led every lap in the race with Lee Roy Yarbrough (124) and David Pearson (26) combining to lead the ones Petty didn’t, and had nine of the top 11 finishers.
WHEN JUNIE LOVED MAY
Dover proved to be magical for the late Junie Donlavey, who won the only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of his career at Dover on May 17, 1981 in the Mason-Dixon 500 when driver Jody Ridley took the checkered flag. Ridley had a good car that day, but it was even more reliable and that proved the difference. Neil Bonnett was the dominant driver as he led 404 of the first 459 laps, but he blew an engine that ended his day. Cale Yarborough appeared to be the main beneficiary as he inherited the lead, but the same fate befell him 20 laps from the finish and sent him to the garage. That left Ridley to assume the top spot and he held on from there to register his first and only Cup win. It also ended up being Donlavey’s only trip to victory lane. The Richmond native made 863 starts and fielded strictly Ford products from 1965-2002 in NASCAR’s top series that featured names like LeeRoy Yarbrough, Fred Lorenzen, Harry Gant, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader and Dick Trickle.
FROM 500 TO 400
In 1997 Ford swept both Dover events, but it’s remembered for historical reasons because when Ricky Rudd won the spring event on June 1, 1997 it marked the speedway’s final 500-mile event. Rudd took advantage of being in the right place at the right time after leader Ernie Irvan was involved in an accident with 29 laps remaining. Rudd took over the lead and held off Mark Martin over the final few laps to lead a Ford sweep of the top four spots. Martin bounced back a few months later by winning the fall event, which marked the inaugural 400-mile race at the track. That started a streak that saw him win three straight fall events at the Monster Mile.
FORD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DOVER WINNERS
1969 – Richard Petty
1978 – Bobby Allison (2)
1980 – Bobby Allison (1)
1981 – Jody Ridley and Neil Bonnett
1985 – Bill Elliott
1986 – Ricky Rudd (2)
1987 – Davey Allison and Ricky Rudd
1988 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)
1990 – Bill Elliott (2)
1994 – Rusty Wallace (Sweep)
1997 – Ricky Rudd and Mark Martin
1998 – Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin
1999 – Mark Martin (2)
2004 – Mark Martin (1)
2005 – Greg Biffle (1)
2006 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2007 – Carl Edwards (2)
2008 – Greg Biffle (2)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2018 – Kevin Harvick (1)
