This Week in Motorsports: August 17-23, 2020
· NCS/NXS/NGROTS/ARCA EAST: Dover International Speedway – August 21-23
· ARCA WEST: Colorado National Speedway – August 22
PLANO, Texas (August 19, 2020) – It’s a doubleheader weekend for the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) at Dover International Speedway with races on Saturday and Sunday. They are joined in Dover by the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) and the ARCA Menards Series East on Friday. The ARCA Menards Series West is also in action on Saturday in Colorado.
NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NGROTS
Truex Close to Home… Martin Truex Jr. is from nearby Mayetta, New Jersey, and has performed strong for his local fans over the years at Dover International Speedway. Truex earned his first career victory at the Monster Mile in 2007 and has driven to two additional victories there in the last four seasons, including leading 132 laps (of 400) last May on his way to winning by over nine seconds in the No. 19 Camry.
Adding to the Series Lead… Denny Hamlin continues to add to his series lead of top-two finishes with another runner-up result on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. It was Hamlin’s fourth top-two finish in the last five races, and 10th overall this season. Hamlin has moved to second in the overall point standings with this run of success. His best finish at Dover was a runner-up result in the fall 2018 race at the Monster Mile.
Bell Strong at Dover… Although this weekend marks Christopher Bell’s first NCS starts at Dover, he has plenty to be excited about heading into the Monster Mile. Bell has won two of his last three races at the track, including leading the last 14 laps to win the NXS race there last spring.
Burton Ready for the Monster… NXS rookie Harrison Burton is ready for the doubleheader weekend at Dover International Speedway. Burton had an incredible final restart and drove to the win at the first doubleheader for the NXS this season at Homestead-Miami Speedway in June. Burton also has been solid in previous starts at Dover, including tying his career-best NGROTS finish of third there last spring.
Career-Bests Continue … NGROTS rookie driver Raphaël Lessard has had career-best finishes in back-to-back events. After scoring a seventh-place finish at Michigan International Speedway, Lessard led three laps and drove to a third-place finish at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on Sunday. Lessard ran the Dover NGROTS race with Kyle Busch Motorsports last season, earning an 11th-place finish.
Hill Looking for Regular Season Crown… With four races to go in the regular season, Austin Hill continues to lead the overall point standings after a fifth-place finish in Daytona. Hill has a 54-point lead heading into Dover. Hill can clinch the regular season championship along with 15 Playoff points if he holds a 60-point advantage leaving Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA
ARCA East Makes its Return… After several postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ARCA Menards Series East is back on track on Friday at Dover International Speedway. Ty Gibbs returns on track this weekend just two points out of the championship points lead after winning the most recent ARCA East race at Toledo Speedway in June.
Love Continues to Lead ARCA West… At the halfway point of the ARCA Menards Series West season, 15-year-old rookie Jesse Love continues to lead the overall point standings. After scoring top-five finishes in every race this season, Love’s average finish currently sits at 2.2.
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