Ford and Chevy Wins Evenly Split at Dover
by Steve Wronkowicz
I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.
September 20, 2008 12:02 pm CDT No Comments
Over the last eleven races, Ford leads in manufacturer wins at Dover.
Dating back through the 2003 season, the Fords out of the Jack Roush stable have won four times. One win each for Mark Martin (2004), Greg Biffle (2005), Matt Kenseth (2006) and Carl Edwards (2007) would lead one to believe that a win in 2008 must loom on the horizon. Carl Edward’s season to this point would lead you to believe that he is the most likely to gain a win at the Monster Mile.
However, last week’s win at New Hampshire by Biffle, could make him the favorite to pull off back to back wins. Biffle’s strong outing came at the amazment of many who never saw his strong performance as possible.
Over the same four and a half year period both Dodge and Chevrolet account for three wins each. Martin Truex Jr. was the most recent winner at Dover in a Chevy for Dale Earnhardt Inc., doing so in the Spring of 2007. Richard Childress Racing’s Jeff Burton took home the victory in the Fall of 2006 and Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmy Johnson was the winner in the Fall of 2005.
Ryan Newman holds all the wins for Dodge; sweeping the races there in 2003 and getting a third win at the fall race in 2004. The Penske Dodges were strong early in this six year sampling, but have shown nothing of late.
Looking further back into the manufacturers history at Dover, Ford and Chevrolet have won 21 and 27 times respectively. If you add in seven Mercury wins for Ford Motor Company, the two manufacturers are on an even standing. Several years in the early seventies Ford only raced under the Mercury banner, so its not too far fetched to combine the two makes. Whereas General Motors has run cars under several banners for most of their racing careers.
Pontiac has accounted for six wins, Oldsmobile two and Buick brought home three in addition to the twenty-seven for Chevrolet. Add four Richard petty wins in Plymouths and Dodges from the early seventies to the three Newman wins and you can see that Mopars haven’t been much of a factor in the history of The Monster Mile.
This years saw the first victory for Toyota at Dover with non other than Kyle Busch behind the wheel. While Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chasers of Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin could be a factor on Sunday, look for Jimmy Johnson’s Chevy or Carl Edwards’ Ford to come home first.
photo credit: Icon Sports Media
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