AVONDALE, Ariz. – Jimmie Johnson led Hendrick Motorsports to the finish line at ISM Raceway on Sunday.
The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 took the checkered flag in eighth.
Chase Elliott finished in 14th and William Byron took the checkered flag in 24th. After making contact with the wall late in the race, Alex Bowman's day was cut short and the driver was scored 35th.
Kyle Busch captured the win.
Below is a closer look at how the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers did Sunday at Phoenix.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 14th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Chase Elliott began the race in the front row after qualifying on the outside pole on Friday. The driver of the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 found the race lead by the end of the very first lap of the race, but he was penalized for being ahead of the leader at the starting line when the green flag dropped. That forced Elliott to take a pass-through penalty, and he returned to the track at the tail end of the field.
- After the setback, Elliott battled to regain a good position throughout the opening segment. Following a quick trip to pit road during a Lap 38 caution, he continued to climb back through the field and ultimately finished Stage 1 all the way back up in ninth, earning two extra points for the finish.
- Elliott began Stage 2 in 17th, and once again he quickly got to work passing competitors en route to a top-10 position. Elliott put the No. 9 Hooters Chevy in 10th by Lap 134 and finished Stage 2 in ninth, picking up two additional points.
- Entering the final stage, Elliott was inside the top 15. Vying to get back inside the top 10, the driver of the Hooters Chevy was able to advance to seventh by Lap 199. Midway through the segment, Elliott experienced a tire issue and on Lap 219 the driver’s car began to spin out, resulting in a caution. When the green flag waved, Elliott was 20th. The driver worked for the remainder of the final stage to recover, ultimately finishing the race in 14th.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 24th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Byron rolled off the grid Sunday at ISM Raceway in seventh. Upon the start, Byron pulled ahead to fifth. Lap 38 brought a caution flag to the field and the No. 24 team headed to pit road. When the green flag waved Byron was in 10th. By the second caution of the stage Byron held a position inside the top 10. He maintained it to finish Stage 2 in eighth, earning three extra points.
- Following a trip to pit road, the driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 started the second stage in 21st. He remained on the verge of the top 20 for much of the second segment, falling a lap behind the leader before finishing Stage 2 in 20th.
- In the final segment, Byron remained a lap down as he battled to gain position. By the first caution of the stage Byron was in 21st. The second caution brought Byron a free pass to rejoin the lead lap in 19th, and he continued his push through the field to knock on the door of the top 10. However, a loose wheel forced Byron to make an unscheduled pit stop under green-flag conditions. He returned to the track down two laps in 24th, and he held that position through the checkered flag.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 8th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Starting Sunday’s race inside the top 15, the driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was able to maintain a position inside the top 20 for the first stage of the race. After he headed to pit road under a caution, he was third leaving pit road, pushing him toward the front in fifth on Lap 46. Another caution in the stage brought the No. 48 car back to pit road to improve the grip on the Ally Chevy. At the conclusion of Stage 1, Johnson was running 13th.
- Stage 2 saw Johnson inside the top 10 in seventh. The driver of the Ally Chevy was able to maintain his position for the majority of the segment, and he ultimately finished the stage in seventh, earning four extra points.
- The final segment began with Johnson in fourth. Pit road strategy by the No. 48 team called for a two-tire stop during a caution, putting Johnson in the lead for the ensuing restart. Though he lost the lead to cars with four fresh tires, he maintained a top-five position, and at another caution on Lap 218, Johnson found himself in third. With 75 laps to go, he remained in the top-10 and he remained consistent through the checkered flag to finish eighth.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 35th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bowman began Sunday’s race in sixth. The driver was able to advance quickly, settling into fourth place early in the stage. Through multiple cautions in the opening segment, Bowman battled in and around the top 10. Ultimately, he finished Stage 1 in fourth, earning an extra seven points.
- Stage 2 saw Bowman battling inside the top 20 with cars going from three-wide to five-wide at times around the track. While attempting to pilot the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 inside the top 15, Bowman made contact with the wall with two laps remaining in the segment, bringing out a caution. After a quick trip to pit road to replace the damaged tire, Bowman finished Stage 2 in 25th.
- Bowman returned to the track in the final segment a lap down in 27th. Midway through the segment, he made contact with the wall again and the No. 88 Chevy headed to the garage, ending Bowman’s race. He was scored 35th.