DOVER, Del. – Sunday at Dover International Speedway, Jimmie Johnson battled through a race that included a red flag due to rain to reach the checkered flag inside the top 10.
Johnson took the checkered flag ninth, his 24th career top-10 finish at Dover. That now ties Martinsville for his highest total at a track.
Both Chase Elliott and William Byron joined their teammate inside the top 15. Elliott crossed the finish line 12th with Byron just behind him in 14th.
Alex Bowman started the race at the rear of the field due to inspection issues and finished 23rd.
Kevin Harvick captured the victory.
Below is a closer look at how the four Hendrick Motorsports teammates fared Sunday at Dover.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 12th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elliott began Sunday’s race in sixth, and consistent racing throughout Stage 1 saw him finish the opening segment in sixth, picking up five extra points in the process.
- He kept working in the second segment, continuing to run inside the top 10 throughout the 120 laps and taking the Stage 2 green-checkered flag in ninth. He earned another two extra points for the result.
- Elliott began the final segment in ninth, and he continued racing in and around the top 10 until Lap 315, when a caution flag flew for rain in the area. At that point he was running 13th before a red flag was displayed.
- On the other side of the red flag, quick work by the No. 9 team on pit road allowed Elliott to restart back inside the top 10, and with 50 laps to go he had settled into ninth. As the laps wound down, he fell just outside of the top 10 to finish the race 12th.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 14th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Byron took the green flag in 17th Sunday, and he never fell outside of the top 20 for the entirety of Stage 1. By Lap 4, he was already up to 15th, and before the end of the segment he had moved up to 12th.
- An uncontrolled tire penalty sent Byron to the rear for the start of Stage 2, but he recovered to jump back inside the top 15 with fewer than 45 laps to go in the segment. He took the green-checkered flag at the end of Stage 2 in 15th.
- Byron began the final segment still in 15th, though he was one of four drivers to head to pit road during an early caution. He returned to the track on the edge of the top 15, and that is where he remained until Lap 315 when a caution flag waved for rain in the area. At that point he was running 16th before a red flag was displayed.
- On the other side of the red flag, Byron pushed forward past competitors when the race went green, finding 12th place with 50 laps remaining. He lost a pair of positions before the checkered flag waved, however, finishing 14th.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S FOR PROS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 9th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Rolling off the grid just inside the top 20, Johnson steadily gained ground throughout Stage 1, moving all the way up to eighth before the green-checkered flag waved. The segment finish earned him three extra points.
- Quick work by the No. 48 team gained Johnson spots on pit road in both the caution prior to the start of Stage 2 and another caution early in the second segment. That helped settle into third place on Lap 165, and he finished Stage 2 in fourth.
- Johnson began the final segment in fifth, but during an early caution, the No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was one of four cars to head to pit road. He returned to the track outside of the top 10 and got back to work to regain position.
- After 320 laps, a red flag was displayed due to rain in the area. Johnson was running ninth at the time. When the race went green once again, Johnson restarted just outside of the top 10 but moved back into 10th place with 50 laps remaining.
- Johnson gained one more position down the stretch, crossing the finish line ninth.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 23rd
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bowman began Sunday’s race at the rear of the field due to inspection issues and elected to take fresh tires on pit road when a caution flag flew on Lap 4. When another yellow flag waved on Lap 21, Bowman stayed off of pit road to take over the race lead.
- After leading 26 laps, Bowman ultimately fell back outside of the top 10 as cars on fresher tires caught the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Fuel mileage dictated one more trip to pit road under green before the end of Stage 1, and Bowman finished the segment 24th, two laps down.
- Bowman took a wave-around to regain one lap prior to the start of Stage 2, and he continued pushing forward until he was the lead car a lap down in 22nd on Lap 165. Unfortunately, the leader continued to lap cars and Bowman ultimately finished Stage 2 in 23rd two laps down.
- In the final segment, Bowman continued to work to gain as many positions as possible, and following a red flag for rain he took a wave-around when the race resumed to move back to just one lap down. One more green-flag pit stop with 35 laps remaining put Bowman two more laps down, however, and he ultimately finished 23rd.