NASCAR: Dover starting lineup – Chase Elliott takes pole
By Asher Fair
Chase Elliott took the pole position for the first of two NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover International Speedway this weekend.
By having the best combination of finish in the most recent NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway road course, position in the owner standings and fastest lap in the most recent race, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott took the pole position for the first of two races at Dover International Speedway this weekend on Saturday afternoon.
This race was scheduled to have taken place back on Sunday, May 2 but did not do so due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sunday afternoon’s race was initially on the schedule.
In fact, despite the unexpected 10-week hiatus caused by the pandemic earlier this year, the Cup Series is slated to be back on schedule in terms of their original 36-race calendar following Saturday afternoon’s race, the 24th of the year.
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Elliott won the most recent race at the Daytona International Speedway road course, and his #9 Chevrolet sits in fourth place in the owner standings. His fastest lap in the most recent race was the best among all drivers.
These three factors are weighted at 50%, 35% and 15%, respectively, giving Elliott a series-best (lowest) metric total of 2.050.
Set to start alongside Elliott on the front row to take the green flag for the first of two 311-lap Drydene 311 races around the four-turn, 1-mile (1.609-kilometer) Monster Mile oval in Dover, Delaware is Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin behind the wheel of his #11 Toyota.
Hamlin finished the most recent race at the Daytona International Speedway road course in second place behind Elliott, and his #11 Toyota sits in second place in the owner standings. His fastest lap in the most recent race ranked sixth best in the field, giving him a metric total of 2.600.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick, whose #4 Ford sits comfortably atop the owner standings, is only set to start in 10th place, as he finished in 17th in the most recent race with the 18th fastest lap.
Here is the full starting lineup for the first of two 2020 Drydene 311 races at Dover International Speedway.
Starting Lineup
1st – Chase Elliott
2nd – Denny Hamlin
3rd – Martin Truex Jr.
4th – Clint Bowyer
5th – Joey Logano
6th – Jimmie Johnson
7th – Brad Keselowski
8th – William Byron
9th – Kurt Busch
10th – Kevin Harvick
11th – Alex Bowman
12th – Chris Buescher
13th – Erik Jones
14th – Matt DiBenedetto
15th – Michael McDowell
16th – Tyler Reddick
17th – Aric Almirola
18th – Christopher Bell
19th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
20th – Ryan Blaney
21st – Cole Custer
22nd – Kyle Busch
23rd – Ryan Newman
24th – Bubba Wallace
25th – Ty Dillon
26th – Matt Kenseth
27th – Ryan Preece
28th – Daniel Suarez
29th – Corey LaJoie
30th – Brennan Poole
31st – John Hunter Nemechek
32nd – Austin Dillon
33rd – Timmy Hill
34th – J.J Yeley
35th – Quin Houff
36th – Reed Sorenson
37th – Josh Bilicki
38th – Joey Gase
39th – Garrett Smithley
40th – B.J. McLeod
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Both Drydene 311 races are set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network from Dover International Speedway beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET.