DOVER, Del. – Long green-flag runs Sunday at Dover International Speedway left the vast majority of the field a lap down.
But Chase Elliott was one of six drivers able to stay on the lead lap, taking the checkered flag third on his way to advancing to the second round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
"Luckily for us we just had a solid day, and that's what we needed to do," Elliott said.
Joining him in the Chase's Round of 12 will be Jimmie Johnson, who was the next Hendrick Motorsports to take the checkered flag in seventh as the first car a lap down. A pit road penalty kept Johnson, who was the leader at the time, from competing for the win.
"Certainly a bummer," Johnson said. "The good side is that we're advancing -- we're moving on to the next round."
Jeff Gordon also earned a top-10 result, finishing 10th, and Kasey Kahne was just behind in 12th.
Martin Truex Jr. earned the win.
Below is a detailed look at how the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers fared Sunday at Dover.
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 12th
STANDINGS: 17th
RECAP: Rolling off the grid 17th, Kahne found the top 15 following the first caution of the race. He continued battling in and out of the top 15 for the next portion of the race, including through a caution just past Lap 100. When another yellow flag waved on Lap 183, Kahne was back up to 13th, and another quick caution was called on the restart. When the race went green once again, Kahne jumped all the way up to ninth by Lap 210. On Lap 225, however, Kahne fell to 11th. And with 100 laps remaining, still in that position, Kahne was the first car a lap down due to long, green-flag runs. However, as cars ahead of Kahne continued to get lapped by the leader, Kahne fell behind the position for a free pass. He ultimately took the checkered flag just outside the top 10 in 12th.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 MOUNTAIN DEW CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 3rd
STANDINGS: 6th
RECAP: Starting just inside the top 10 in ninth, Elliott fell to 11th by Lap 10. Following the first caution of the race, however, he jumped up to eighth. That is where he remained for nearly the next 80 laps, finding 7th on Lap 117 before falling to ninth on Lap 170. On a restart on Lap 199 following a caution, Elliott jumped up to sixth, and that’s where he would run until he headed to pit road for a green-flag stop on Lap 276. When the field cycled through, Elliott had cracked the top five, and with 100 laps remaining he was running fourth – one of just 10 cars on the lead lap due to long, green-flag runs. Following a speedy green-flag pit stop with less than 45 laps to go, Elliott raced his way to third when the field cycled through. He would hold that position to finish third.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 7th
STANDINGS: 11th
RECAP: Johnson led his teammates to the green flag Sunday in eighth place, Johnson found the top five for the first time on Lap 50. From there, he continued to work, finding fourth on Lap 62 and third on Lap 80. During the next caution, the No. 48 pit crew helped Johnson gain another spot on pit road to restart second. He took the lead for the first time on Lap 190, when he once again restarted second and rocketed to the front of the pack. On Lap 279, he headed to pit road from the lead for a green-flag stop, but the No. 48 team was penalized for being over the wall too soon. Johnson served a pass-through penalty and returned to the track down one lap and outside of the top 15. By Lap 308, Johnson had raced his way to the first car a lap down, in 11th and in position for a free pass if a caution flag flew. However, as the race remained green, more cars ahead of Johnson were lapped, putting him behind once again. He continued to battle, finding sixth place – the first car a lap down – with less than 45 laps to go. And as competitors headed to pit road for green-flag stops, Johnson climbed all the way back up to the lead before heading to pit road himself. When the field cycled through, he was once again the first car a lap down in seventh. That is where he would cross the finish line – earning a seventh-place result.
JEFF GORDON, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 10th
STANDINGS: 29th
RECAP: Gordon began Sunday’s race 18th, and he battled to try to gain position early in the race. Following a caution just past the 100-lap mark of the race, Gordon jumped inside of the top 15 for the restart. He continued to push forward, finding 11th on Lap 170 and cracking the top 10 just after Lap 200. At Lap 300 following a cycle of green-flag pit stops, Gordon found himself running eighth – one of only 10 drivers on the lead lap due to long, green-flag stretches. On Lap 332, Gordon was the first car a lap down as the race stayed green – but cars ahead of Gordon were lapped as well, pushing the driver behind the position to earn a free pass if a caution flag flew. As competitors headed to pit road for green-flag stops late in the race, Gordon stayed on the track to take the lead before pitting with 27 laps remaining. When the field cycled through, he was just outside the top 10, back to a lap behind the leaders. Before the checkered flag waved, he recovered to finish 10th.