RIDGEWAY, Va. – Monday at Martinsville Speedway, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott led their Hendrick Motorsports teammates to the checkered flag with a pair of top-10 finishes.
After starting 16th, Bowman moved his way through the field to take the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 home a seventh-place result. Elliott finished close behind his teammate in ninth.
Jimmie Johnson and William Byron followed up with top-20 results, finishing 15th and 20th, respectively.
Clint Bowyer crossed the checkered flag as the winner.
Below is a closer look at how all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers fared Sunday.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 9th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Starting in the middle of the field in 21st, Elliott was shuffled down three spots by Lap 20 into 24th. Out of a competition caution on Lap 50, the driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 gained four positions thanks to quick work on pit road to break inside the top 20. He continued to gain ground throughout the segment and finished Stage 1 in 17th.
- Out of the caution between stages, Elliott jumped into 14th and was running just outside the top 10 by lap 159 in 11th. He dropped down to 15th by Lap 207 and ultimately finished Stage 2 in 16th as the first car a lap down – gaining a free pass back onto the lead lap at the end of the segment.
- Elliott raced near the top 15 at the beginning of the final segment and jumped up three spots to 12th by Lap 454. Elliott continued to push and broke into the top 10 near the end of the race and finished the day ninth.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 20th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Rolling off the grid 20th, Byron initially lost position and was dropped down to 23rd by Lap 50. Out of the competition caution, Byron moved up four spots into 19th and ultimately finished Stage 1 where he originally started in 20th.
- The driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 gained three spots out of the caution between stages and continued to push toward the top 20. By Lap 215 he was in 22nd before finishing Stage 2 in 23rd.
- Byron jumped up two spots into 21st by Lap 311 and raced inside the top 20 for much of the final segment of the race. He was 19th by Lap 400 and held on to his top-20 position to take the checkered flag in 20th.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S FOR PROS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 15th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Starting Monday’s race 18th, Johnson quickly moved through the field, finding 13th after a competition caution on Lap 50. By Lap 90 he was in 11th, and on Lap 125 made an inside move to pass a competitor to get into the top 10. Johnson finished the first segment in 10th, earning one stage point for the result.
- After briefly dropping into 13th at the beginning of Stage 2, Johnson quickly regained position and competed near the top 10 for most of the segment. He finished Stage 2 in 10th and earned another extra point for the top-10 finish.
- In the final segment, Johnson continued to race close the top 10, but dropped to 14th by Lap 380. He moved back up to 12th by Lap 426 but finished the day 15th.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 7th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Leading his teammates to the green flag in 16th, Bowman fell two spots into 18th by Lap 30. The driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 battled to keep position throughout Stage 1 and remained inside the top 20, finishing 18th.
- After initially being shuffled down a few spots in the second segment, Bowman started to work his way back up through the field and broke into the top 15 by Lap 200. He held his position to finish Stage 2 in 15th.
- Bowman continued to build momentum in the final stage, and by Lap 311 he moved into 13th. He was racing 11th by Lap 327 and continued to hold his position near the top 10.
- He cracked the top 10 by Lap 426 and raced inside the top 10 for the remainder of the afternoon. Bowman gained three more positions to finish the day in seventh.