By Erica Renee Davis
Special to FOX Sports
It’s Dover. It’s NASCAR. And it’s a monster. In fact, this weekend’s Würth 400 on FS1 is so massive that we enlisted the help of Michael Waltrip — two-time Daytona 500 champion and FOX NASCAR analyst — to help us dissect why Dover is so daunting.
“If I wanted to take you on a ride around the racetrack and scare the you-know-what outta you, I’d take you to Dover,” Waltrip laughed. “The banking is so high and the corners are really sharp, so everything that drivers have to endure is 10-fold. It’s like a rollercoaster; the bottom drops out on you.”
“I won there in 1988 and 1990 in the Busch car, and believe what I’m saying — it’s the biggest thrill ride in NASCAR.”
Waltrip’s word when it comes to racing is worth its weight in gold because he’s no stranger to this sport. This driver-turned-broadcaster scored victories at Daytona in 2001 and 2003, owns four total Cup wins and four pole positions and even became a team owner in 2007.
“My heroes — my brother Darrell, Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty — raced and owned teams,” Michael explained. “As a kid, you wanna do what your heroes do. So that’s why I started a Busch team for the Xfinity Series behind my house out in the country. I ended up winning races as an owner and as a driver on the track at the same time, which is really unique.”
While the Kentucky native’s days behind the wheel are in the rearview, he does acknowledge that he has a few favorites in the field today.
“I love Kyle Larson. He’s kind, caring and funny. Most people would probably put him in the top five of the most talented, pure race car drivers currently. Daniel Suarez is another talent who I’m always happy to watch.”
Larson and Suarez lead this NASCAR analyst’s list, but he also insists that Corey LaJoie is a driver every fan and spectator should respect.
“I think everyone is waiting for Corey to have his moment. Dover is a bit of a difficult track for an underdog like LaJoie because of the high banks. But he’s a guy who’s on the verge of breaking through.”
Could Dover be the weekend that you break through and strike it big winning some cash playing the FOX Bet Super 6 NASCAR Stage 2 Contest?
FOX Bet Super 6 is a free-to-play contest where you can pick six different outcomes in the NASCAR Stage 2 Contest featuring the Würth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway to win Clint Bowyer’s $5,000. Just download the FOX Bet Super 6 app on your phone or mobile device, make your picks and submit your selections before the race gets underway this Sunday.
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Before you make your picks for this weekend’s NASCAR race on FS1, check out Michael Waltrip’s expert insight for how he expects the race will play out at for the Würth 400.
Which of these drivers will have the best finish at the end of the race?
Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr.
“I would go with Larson. I told you, he’s used to sliding around the tracks and finding the grip wherever it might be, whether it’s low or high. And Hendrick Motorsports is really good at Dover.
“And Kyle’s a go-for-it type of guy, and Dover is go-for-it kind of track. So I put him at the top of my list.”
Prediction: Kyle Larson
Which manufacturer — Chevrolet or Ford — will have the most cars in the top 20 at the end of Stage 2 and how many will they have?
1-4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12+
“Chevy because of the strength of the Hendrick Motorsports team. And you have to remember that Josh Berry will be in the 48 [car] instead of [Alex] Bowman.
“Hendrick won’t miss a beat without Bowman, Kyle Bush just won Talladega and Austin Dillon could put his car in the top 10 or 20 easily.”
Prediction: Chevrolet, 9
Which of these drivers — Ross Chastain or Denny Hamlin — will have the fastest lap by the end of Stage 2 and how many yellow laps will there be?
0-9, 10-11, 12-16, 17-19, 20-23, 24-26, 27-31, 32-33, 34-38, 39+
“Denny Hamlin will have the fastest lap.”
Prediction: Denny Hamlin, 27-31
Breaking down Jimmie Johnson’s record win at Dover in 2013
The “NASCAR Race Hub” crew broke down Jimmie Johnson’s 2013 Dover to make him the all-time leader.
Which manufacturer — Chevrolet or Ford — will have the most cars on the lead lap at the end of Stage 2 and how many will they have?
1-5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18+
“Chevy again because I feel good about them right now.”
Prediction: Chevrolet, 10-11
Which driver — Kyle Busch or Ryan Blaney — will have the better finish at the end of Stage 2 and by how many positions?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-10, 11-14, 15+
“Blaney will have the better finish here. It’s been a while since he’s been in Victory Lane. He’s been on a dry spell. He almost won Talladega. I know how hungry he is, and I know how talented he is.
“And I know Kyle won last weekend, but I just haven’t seen the speed lately from the 8 on the intermediate tracks that I’ve seen out of Blaney.”
Prediction: Blaney, 5
Which driver — Martin Truex Jr. or Chase Elliott — will have the better finish at the end of Stage 2 and by how many positions?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-10, 11-14, 15+
“Truex is just really good at Dover. He has about six home tracks — none of which are actually in his hometown. Dover is definitely one on the list that people say is “home” for him.
“I’m gonna give it up for Truex.”
Prediction: Martin Truex Jr.
Dover and its Monster Mile will be at the forefront this weekend. However, the NASCAR season is a grueling marathon. And Waltrip shared his thoughts on what we could see later this year.
“If I’m a fan of NASCAR, and I wanna make some money — whether it’s on FOX Bet or just among my buddies — I’m putting my money on Corey LaJoie. He will win either Daytona, Atlanta or Talladega in the 2023 season. LaJoie has been in contention to win at those racetracks, and I think he gets it done.”
Now it’s time for you to get it done and play to win Clint Bowyer’s $5K.
Download the FOX Bet Super 6 app and submit your selections for the NASCAR Stage 2 Contest now. Then be sure to share your picks with us by tagging @FOXSuper6 and @EricaReneeD and using the #EricaSuper6 hashtag across all social media platforms.
Your lucky weekend could be right around the next turn. Good luck!
Download the FOX Super 6 app for your chance to win thousands of dollars on the biggest sporting events each and every week! Just make your picks and you could win the grand prize. Download and play today!
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