BROOKLYN, Mich. – Monday evening at Michigan International Speedway, Alex Bowman took home a top-10 finish in a race that was delayed a day due to rain.
Bowman led his Hendrick Motorsports teammates to the checkered flag in 10th. Jimmie Johnson was next to the line in 15th followed by William Byron in 18th and Chase Elliott in 20th.
Joey Logano captured the win.
Below is a closer look at how the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers fared Monday at Michigan.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 20th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Taking the green flag in 17th, Elliott picked up five spots before a competition caution was called on lap 21. Due to varying pit strategies, the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 lined up 14th for the restart. He proceeded to climb through the field as the laps wound down in the opening segment, entering the top 10 and ultimately taking the green-checkered flag in eighth.
- During a caution early in Stage 2, Elliott was one of a handful of competitors to remain on the track, allowing him to line up seventh for the ensuing restart. He continued to battle inside the top 10, passing teammate Bowman just past the midway point of the segment to move into sixth. He moved up to fifth shortly thereafter, and as the laps wound down and his fellow competitors who stayed on the track during the earlier caution headed to pit road for fuel, Elliott advanced all the way into the race lead. He made a pit stop of his own with four laps remaining in the segment, sending him to a 28th-place finish in Stage 2.
- A two-tire stop for the No. 9 team prior to the start of the final segment allowed Elliott to gain 22 spots on pit road to take the green flag in second. Elliott was caught in the inside lane without help, however, and slid back to eighth before working his way back up to the second row for another restart following a caution with 65 laps to go. Once again, Elliott slid back in traffic on the restart, dropping outside of the top 10 before heading to pit road for a scheduled, green-flag stop. He returned to the track in 27th, but once again climbed toward the top 10, running 11th with 15 laps remaining as the full field cycled through green-flag stops. A caution sent the race to overtime, and Elliott headed to pit road for fresh tires prior to the green flag. He restarted 24th, gaining four positions before the checkered flag to finish 20th.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 HENDRICK AUTOGUARD CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 18th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Rolling off the grid 21st, Byron battled just inside the top 20 for much of the opening segment. Running 23rd just past the midway point of Stage 1, he piloted the No. 24 Hendrick Autoguard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 through the field, passing competitors one-by-one until he entered the top 15. He finished Stage 1 in 15th.
- The No. 24 team elected for a fuel-only stop during a caution early in Stage 2, and Byron lined up 12th for the restart on Lap 76. Though he was caught in traffic and fell to 18th at the midway point of the segment, he began pushing forward once again and found the top 15 before several of the leaders began to head to pit road for fuel. In the process, Byron advanced inside the top 10, and he finished Stage 2 in eighth to gain three extra points.
- Byron began the final segment in 13th, but by the time a caution flag flew just 10 laps in, he had moved all the way up to fifth. He had fallen just outside of the top 10 when another caution came on Lap 65, and No. 24 team crew chief Chad Knaus called Byron down pit road for a stop. He returned to the track outside of the top 25 and methodically began pushing forward. He cracked the top 20 before competitors began to make green-flag pit stops, and Byron remained on the track to move all the way into the race lead before heading to pit road with 16 laps remaining. As the field cycled through, Byron returned to the track in 15th. After a caution sent the race to overtime, Byron lined up 13th for the restart. Getting shuffled back in traffic, he took the checkered flag in 18th.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 15th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Johnson began Sunday’s race in 19th and gained three positions before a competition caution on Lap 21. On pit road, however, contact with a competitor required Johnson to take the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 back to pit road multiple times for repairs. He lined up 36th for the ensuing restart and picked up six spots to finish Stage 1 in 30th.
- During a caution early in Stage 2, the No. 48 Ally Chevy again made contact with a competitor on pit road, forcing additional repairs by the No. 48 team. That put Johnson in 32nd for a restart on Lap 76. He worked to gain position for the remainder of the segment, and advanced all the way into the top 15, finishing Stage 2 in 14th.
- Johnson took the green flag to start the final segment in 18th, and he battled just inside the top 20 for much of the stage. With 50 laps to go, he found the top 15, but he reported over the radio that he was battling his car’s handling due to the earlier damage. Johnson moved all the way up to fifth as competitors made green-flag pit stops before heading to pit road himself. As the field cycled through, he was running 19th with 15 laps remaining in the race. When a caution sent the race to overtime, Johnson lined up 18th for the green flag. He gained three positions before the checkered flag, finishing 15th.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 10th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Starting 20th Sunday afternoon, Bowman climbed up to 13th before a competition caution was called on Lap 21. Thanks to a fuel-only stop on pit road, he was able to gain six more spots before returning to the track, lining up seventh for the restart. From there, he continued to gain momentum, racing his way all the way up to second with six laps remaining in the stage, holding on to finish Stage 1 as the runner-up to pick up nine extra points.
- Following a fuel-only pit stop during a caution early in Stage 2, Bowman lined up eighth for the restart. Just past the midway point of the segment, he was passed by his teammate, Elliott, and the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 took some damage to the left rear in the process. Reporting over the radio that it affected the handling of his car, Bowman dropped outside of the top 15 as the laps wound down. When several of the leaders headed to pit road for fuel under green-flag conditions, however, Bowman advanced back up to ninth before the end of Stage 2, picking up two points for the finish.
- The No. 88 team repaired the damage to the Nationwide Chevy prior to the start of the final segment, which Bowman began in the 30th position. He quickly worked his way through the field, finding 16th place before a caution with 65 laps remaining in the race. With 58 to go, Bowman moved into 10th and advanced all the way up to third as competitors made green-flag pit stops before heading to pit road himself. When the field cycled through with 15 laps to go, Bowman was running fifth. That's where he remained as a caution sent the race to overtime. On the restart, he was caught on the inside and fell to 10th, holding on to finish 10th.