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The mile-long Dover Motor Speedway, for its size, is one of NASCAR's most imposing tracks: With high banks in both the corners and on the straightaways of this concrete facility, Dover has become notorious for being a physically taxing, punishing racetrack that has more than earned its nickname: The Monster Mile.

Coming off a wild finish at Talladega that saw a jailbreak to the checkered flag and carnage across the finish line, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Dover for the Wurth 400 and more potential for viciousness around every corner. It takes a particular mix of skill and nerve to be successful at Dover, as defending winner Martin Truex Jr. has been with four wins in his career, and to tame Miles the Monster -- A fearsome, concrete beast with a strong appetite for sheet metal.

How to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series at Dover

Date: Sun., Apr. 28
Location: Dover Motor Speedway -- Dover, Del.
Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Stream: fubo (try for free)

What to Watch

This weekend marks the Cup Series debut of Corey Heim, who has been tabbed as the substitute driver for Legacy Motor Club after Erik Jones suffered a compression fracture in his vetrebra in a crash last weekend at Talladega. Heim, who has become a championship contender in the Craftsman Truck Series while also impressing in limited Xfinity Series action, will take the next step in his ascent through Toyota's development system when he climbs aboard the No. 43. And it's far from out of the question that he could end up making some noise come Sunday.

There is a natural temptation to compare the circumstances of Heim with the Cup Series debut of Matt Kenseth way back in the fall of 1998. Following the death of Bill Elliott's father, Elliott skipped that weekend's race in Dover and opted to put Kenseth, then a rising star in the NASCAR Busch Series, in the No. 94 Ford in his place. Kenseth was outstanding, starting 16th before driving up into the top 10 and contending for a top five late in the race before finishing sixth -- Foreshadowing what became a NASCAR Hall of Fame career.

That may not be an entirely fair comparison, but the 21-year-old Heim's talent is very highly regarded, as evidenced by him being hired prior to the 2024 season as the top reserve driver for both Legacy Motor Club and 23XI Racing. What will work to the Marietta, Ga. driver's advantage is that he'll have some extra track time this weekend, as he is entered in Saturday's Xfinity Series race behind the wheel of the No. 26 Toyota for Sam Hunt Racing.

With Heim on track to earn a Cup Series ride in the next few years, this weekend should be a good litmus test of how prepared Heim is for the top level and how much pressure he can handle. After all, there's very few drivers who can say they made their first Cup start ever driving Richard Petty's No. 43 adorned in a throwback paint scheme.

News of the Week

  • NASCAR has announced the format for the 2024 All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, introducing a new element of tire strategy for this year's race. Three different tire compounds will be brought to North Wilkesboro including a "prime tire", the baseline tire tested in March, and an "option tire" made of a softer material with more grip but faster wear. The option tire will be made from the same material as Goodyear's wet weather tires, which will also be on hand in the event the track is wet. Teams who qualify for the All-Star Race will have two sets of the prime and option tires available, and all will have to start the 200-lap race on the option tire. There will be two scheduled cautions at lap 100 and lap 150, at which point teams must perform a four-tire pit stop using any tire of their choosing. Drivers eligible for the All-Star Race include those who have won a race in either 2023 or 2024 as well as full-time drivers who have won either a past All-Star Race or a Cup Series championship.
  • NASCAR has announced the nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025, a group that includes several new additions. Greg Biffle, a winning Cup driver and champion of the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series, has been added to the modern era ballot alongside legendary engine builder Randy Dorton and three-time Truck Series champion Jack Sprague. "Mr. Modified" Ray Hendrick and three-time Convertible Division champion Bob Welborn have been added to the pioneer ballot, and Dr. Dean Sickling -- the inventor of the SAFER barrier -- has been nominated for the landmark award. The complete modern era ballot includes Biffle, Dorton, Sprague, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde and Ricky Rudd. The pioneer ballot includes Hendrick, Welborn, Banjo Matthews, Ralph Mood, and Larry Phillips, and the landmark award nominees are Dr. Sickling, Alvin Hawkins, Lesa France Kennedy, Dr. Joseph Mattioli and Les Richter.
  • NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Joey Gase has lost an appeal of his $5,000 fine for throwing his rear bumper at Dawson Cram following a crash at Richmond, with the National Motorsports Appeals Panel ruling that NASCAR was correct in fining Gase on safety grounds for putting himself in a "dangerous position". Gase has now autographed the bumper and put it up for auction on eBay.

Pick to Win

Ross Chastain (+750) – Past precedent predicting future success is my basis for picking Ross Chastain to win this weekend. In his last two starts at Dover, he led 86 laps and finished third in 2022, and then followed it up by leading 98 laps and finishing second a year ago.

If you believe in patterns, that's trending towards even more laps led and a win for Chastain this week. And speaking of trends, he's also had a few shots already to win in 2024, including just two weeks ago at Texas when he raced Chase Elliott for the victory only to get turned on the final lap.