Dover Traditionally Has Been Hamlin’s Road Block

Hamlin’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway victory was otherworldly. How else can one explain his methodical charge from a 32nd-place qualifying effort to the lead before the SYLVANIA 300’s one-third mark; 193 laps led and a 2.675-second margin of victory despite a late caution? Hamlin called it beforehand and followed through for Joe Gibbs Racing’s 100th NASCAR Sprint Cup victory.

This week doesn’t figure to be so easy. Dover is Hamlin’s second-to-worst track in terms of Driver Rating (78.6, eighth among Chase drivers). He finished 18th in June’s race – 11th among the eventual 12 Chase qualifiers. His best Dover finish is fourth, twice. On the flip side of the Dover coin, Hamlin has five finishes of 20th or worse.