DOVER, Del. – Monday at Dover International Speedway, multiple Hendrick Motorsports teammates challenged for the lead throughout the race before Alex Bowman ultimately led the organization to the finish line.
Bowman earned a second-place finish, his second consecutive runner-up result, tying his career-best NASCAR Cup Series finish.
He was joined inside the top five by Chase Elliott, who finished fifth. It marked Elliott’s sixth top-five result at Dover, two more than he owns at any other track. In the process, he led 145 laps, which are his most ever in a single race.
William Byron also captured a top-10 result, finishing eighth – his best result at Dover.
Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag in 14th.
Martin Truex Jr. captured the win.
Below is a closer look at how the four Hendrick Motorsports teammates fared Monday afternoon at Dover International Speedway.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA BREAKS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 5th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elliott started Monday’s event on the pole, and he used it to his advantage early in the race. Elliott led the field until the competition caution on Lap 40, and thanks to quick work by the No. 9 team on pit road, he retained the top spot when he returned to the track. He continued to lead for the vast majority of the first stage until a caution flag waved with fewer than five laps remaining. He headed to pit road but lost the lead when two competitors elected to take just two tires during the stop. The segment concluded with a one-lap sprint to the green-checkered flag, and Elliott finished third to earn eight extra points.
- At the wave of the green flag for Stage 2, Elliott immediately began pushing his way back toward the lead. He raced in the runner-up position until Lap 197, when the driver was able to move ahead to regain the lead. Elliott’s teammate, Bowman, pulled ahead of the him to take the lead before the end of the segment, and Elliott fell to fourth at the green-checkered flag to earn six extra points.
- The final segment began with Elliott inside the top five, and he maintained his position for the majority of the stage. After making a scheduled green-flag pit stop, the No. 9 NAPA Brakes Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 returned to the track inside the top 10 as he worked his way through lapped traffic. With fewer than 20 laps to go, Elliott had settled into fifth. That is where he would taking the checkered flag, finishing fifth.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 8th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Byron took the green flag on the outside pole next to teammate Elliott. At the green flag, Byron fell back to fourth, but he maintained a top-five position until a competition caution at Lap 40. After a pit stop, Byron returned to the track in ninth. Following a caution on Lap 115, Byron fought forward in the final-lap sprint to the stage finish, taking the green-checkered flag in sixth to earn five extra points.
- At the start of Stage 2, Byron looked to advance as quickly as possible to get back to his top-10 position. By Lap 147, he was in 21st, still working his way through the field. By Lap 179, Byron was inside the top-20 in 18th. When competitors began making green-flag pit stops on Lap 184, Byron remained on the track to move into to the lead, leading his first career laps at the “Monster Mile.” After his own stop, he returned to the track in 17th. The driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 looked eager to gain positions as 20 laps remained in the second stage and he was running 16th. When the green-checkered flag waved, Byron had moved up to 15th.
- Byron started the final stage just inside the top 15 in 14th. He gained a spot by Lap 286, running 13th. Quickly gaining speed, Byron moved to 11th on Lap 295, and 15 laps later he made his way inside the top 10 in ninth to put all four Hendrick Motorsports cars inside the top 10 with 88 laps to go in the race. When cars returned to the field following green-flag stops, Byron’s machine began to fall back in the pack, putting him at 16th at Lap 333. With fewer than 20 laps to go, Byron was back inside the top 10 in eighth. He maintained that position until the checkered flag waved, finishing the race in eighth.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 14th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Johnson rolled off the grid just outside of the top 10 Monday afternoon, and he found it on the other side of a Lap 40 competition caution returning to the track in 10th. For the majority of the opening segment, Johnson was inside the top 15 and he finished Stage 1 in 13th.
- At the wave of the green flag for Stage 2, Johnson worked to get inside the top 10. Succeeding, the No. 48 driver was in 10th by Lap 151. Not long after, the driver pitted under a green flag for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments. Thanks to quick work by the No. 48 crew, Johnson was just outside the top 10 in 11th on Lap 194 after returning to the track. He held that position at the end of Stage 2, finishing 11th.
- The final segment saw Johnson battling to crack the top 10 early on. By Lap 281, he advanced past the competition into eighth. As competitors began to make green-flag pit stops, Johnson remained on the track to move all the way up to the runner-up position. Ultimately, Johnson made a pit stop himself, and the No. 48 Chevy returned to the track outside of the top 15. He battled to gain positions down the stretch and crossed the finish line in 14th.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
FINISHED: 2nd
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bowman started Sunday’s race at the rear due to inspection issues, but he got to work racing through the field as soon as the green flag dropped. By Lap 17, he had already advanced into the top 20, and he broke into the top 15 by Lap 73. The driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 continued to make gains and landed inside the top 10, fittingly, on Lap 88. Throughout the stage, Bowman was able gain positions and eventually made his way just outside the top five. As the first stage came to a close, Bowman finished in seventh, picking up four extra points.
- Stage 2 saw the No. 88 Chevy driver inside the top five. Holding a fifth-place position, Bowman’s effort to continue to advance was successful. After a trip to pit road under a green flag for tires and fuel, Bowman moved to the runner-up position on Lap 193. On Lap 222, he took the lead. As Stage 2 came to a close, Bowman fought neck and neck to maintain the lead. When the green-checkered flag waved, he narrowly fell back to second, earning nine valuable stage points.
- As the final segment began, Bowman fought to regain the lead. By Lap 294, the driver was in third. When competitors began to make green-flag pit stops, Bowman followed suit on Lap 320. Thanks to quick work by the No. 88 team, Bowman made his way back to the track in second. With no caution flags down the stretch, Bowman was not able to catch the leader, but took home his second consecutive runner-up result when the checkered flag waved.