The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup continues this weekend at Dover International Speedway.

Race #2 in the 10 race play-off for the championship.

Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

Points leader Mark Martin is being called the sentimental favorite to win. He’s never won a championship before, but has finished the season 2nd – four times. Martin’s a roll. He won a series-high 5th win last weekend. He knows how to get around at Dover, he leads the series with the most top-5 and top-10 finishes there.

“This is absolutely incredible,” Martin said. “This entire season has been unbelievable to me. I know that someday I won’t be racing anymore. And recently I talked to Dale Jarrett who, of course, doesn’t (race) anymore. And he said that there is nothing like driving a race car. You can’t get that feeling anywhere else. He’s right. This is exactly what I want to be doing. Exactly where I want to be. And for all of it to be going so well, so right, it’s just unbelievable.”

How do the chasers do at Dover?

7 of the 12 contenders have won there before. 6 of the 7 have won multiple times.

Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are tied for the most wins among the chase contenders with 4 each.

Jimmie Johnson won this past June at Dover. In 15 Dover races, he’s posted 4 wins, 6 top-5 and 10 top-10 finishes with one pole. Johnson’s after his 4th consecutive championship. He’s currently 2nd in the standings, 35 points behind Martin. “I’m really excited about Dover,” Johnson said. “We have a new tire this time around, and I was able to participate in the tire test for that. I think it will change the handling on the Cup car some, but I think all in all, the track has been so good to me over the years, we should be in great shape. I hope to have a similar performance to the spring race.”

Photo Credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images

Chase contender Greg Biffle is the defending race winner. He finished 3rd there earlier this year. Biffle swept both races last year and has finished in the top-3 in the past 4 races at Dover. In all, he has 2 wins, 6 top-5 and 9 top-10 finishes along with one pole in his 14 races at the track. Biffle is currently 9th in the standings, 92 points from 1st.

“I will be disappointed if we are not in contention for the win this weekend at Dover,” Biffle said. “We need a good finish there to keep Mark Martin in our sights.”

Photo Credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images

Biffle’s last win was the 5th consecutive victory for Roush Fenway Racing, second on the all-time wins list at Dover. Roush’s 8 wins there is 2nd only to the 10 scored by a Hendrick Motorsports driver.

It’s safe to say there’s 2 more drivers to watch for: Juan Pablo Montoya and Denny Hamlin.

Montoya finished 3rd last weekend at New Hampshire and moved from 11th to 4th in the standings. He’s having his best Sprint Cup season yet. “We have to bring our A game,” Montoya said. “No holding back nothing, it’s time to go. You know, I have been very impressed with (crew chief) Brian Pattie and everybody on the team. With the kind of cars they have given me, we can’t just go out there and just ride. We are doing the best we can and I am trying to drive the car as hard as I can. I don’t want to leave anything on the table.”

Hamlin racked up the most points of any driver over the 10 races in the ‘Race to the Chase”. After winning at Richmond, he scored a runner-up finish last weekend. He’s currently 3rd in points, 35 points back. Dover hasn’t been one of his better tracks. in his 7 races there, he’s posted 1 top-5 and 2 top-10 finishes. “A top-five would be acceptable. We don’t expect to say, ‘Hey, a top-10 will do,’” Hamlin said. “I think we need to run a little bit better than that. I’m sure we’ll figure it out. We’re going to get it figured out and we’ll be up there where we belong.”

Expect the unexpected. There’s a reason why they call Dover “The Monster Mile”.

Qualifying is scheduled for 3:10 this Friday afternoon.

TV coverage of the AAA 400 begins at Sunday at 1 on ABC. 400 miles = 400 laps.

The Nationwide Series will get back in action also at Dover this Saturday afternoon at 3 on ESPN2.

The Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas on Saturday night at 9.