Gordon wins at Dover; all four drivers advance in Chase
DOVER, Del. – In the final race of the Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports came out on top.
Not only did Jeff Gordon win the 400-lap event at Dover International Speedway, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers advanced to the Contender Round of the Chase.
It marked Gordon’s first win at the Monster Mile since 2001.
Jimmie Johnson gave the organization two of the top three finishers on Sunday, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne both finished in the top 20 in 17th and 20th, respectively.
"This last 50 (laps) with Kasey trying to get in (to the Chase) after having a problem, Jeff leading the race and not wanting a caution, man, this was -- I'm too old for this," Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick joked. "This Chase format is unbelievable."
Below is a detailed look at how all four drivers fared.
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 20th
Chase Standings: 12th
Recap: After starting 12th, Kahne quickly moved up two spots into the top 10 just one lap into Sunday’s race. He moved up to ninth at Lap 16, eighth at Lap 42 and by the first caution of the race at Lap 61, he was all the way up to sixth. He continued to race in the top 10 all the way until a caution at Lap 125. He restarted in 10th following the caution, but fell back to 12th place. At Lap 161, Kahne headed to pit road during green-flag racing due to a loose, left-rear tire. That stop left him two laps down, and when a caution was thrown 12 laps later, he took a wave-around and was just one lap down. “We have a really good car, guys,” Kahne encouraged his team. “Let's pull it together. We can get back up there." At Lap 215, Kahne was running 29th as the first car two laps down when he was passed by the leader. He visited pit road during green-flag racing once again at Lap 243, falling four laps down. But thanks to other green-flag pit stops and a wave-around during a Lap-253 caution, Kahne was right back to one lap down. Following the next cycle of green-flag pit stops, Kahne was in 22nd as the second car one lap down as he teetered on the precipice of the Contender Round of the Chase. With 22 laps to go, Kahne passed a key competitor to help further secure his place in the next round of the Chase, finding his way to 20th. That is where he would finish, and he became one of the 12 drivers to advance to the next round.
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 1st
Chase Standings: 5th
Recap: From a sixth-place start, Gordon quickly moved in to the top five just one lap into Sunday’s event. By Lap 13 he was in fourth, and 11 laps later he moved in to the top three. He continued to run in the top five, and even when he restarted fourth after a Lap-75 caution, he jumped back to third immediately. Following the next caution at Lap 125, Gordon restarted second thanks to a quick pit stop by the No. 24 crew. The only time he fell out of the top five in the next stretch of the race was during the next caution, when he lost four spots to restart seventh. But he was all the way back to third by Lap 225. When the leader suffered a tire issue and a caution waved at Lap 253, Gordon moved into second. He fell to third, but moved back into second at Lap 274. At Lap 305, he battled the leader for first – and took it by Lap 306. He went on to lead 94 laps and take home the victory.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 3rd
Chase Standings: 4th
Recap: Johnson moved up one spot from his eighth-place start on the first lap of Sunday’s race. By Lap 39, he had reached the top five, and 11 laps later he moved up to fourth. He lost some positioning back to 10th during the first caution of the race, but continued to work his way back up the pack to reach fifth place once again at Lap 90. He moved up to fourth three laps later, but fell back out of the top five – to sixth – at Lap 135. He once again moved back up quickly, finding third place by Lap 178. At Lap 225, teammate Gordon changed places with Johnson, pushing him back to fourth. During green-flag pit stops, he got as high as second, and after the leader suffered a tire issue that caused a caution at Lap 253, Johnson restarted third. He fell back to fifth on the restart, but continued running inside the top five. He found third place again at Lap 312, and even when he fell back to fourth during the final green-flag pit stop cycle, he returned to third place with 55 laps to go. He took the checkered flag in third.
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 17th
Chase Standings: 7th
Recap: A 25th-place start left Earnhardt with work to do, but he jumped five spots in the standings just 15 laps in to the race. By Lap 50, he had settled in to the 16th position. That’s where he remained 20 laps later, but soon moved up two more spots to 14th before a Lap-75 caution. He restarted in 15th, but got caught up during the restart and was shuffled back to 22nd. Following a Lap 125 caution, Earnhardt restarted as far back as 25th, but then began moving his way up the pack. At Lap 215, Earnhardt was up 10 spots to 15th. Following a caution at Lap 253, he had moved up as far as 13th. He continued running in the top 20, and with 80 laps to go, he was running 19th. Following a cycle of green-flag pit stops, Earnhardt settled in to the 20th position with 65 laps to go. He finished the race in 17th.