CONCORD, N.C. -- History was made at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
For the first time in team history, Hendrick Motorsports' drivers finished 1-2-3-4, marking the fourth time in the NASCAR Cup Series that an organization has accomplished this monumental feat.
“It was a great day for the organization,” said Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick. “Alex (Bowman), congratulations to him. This is a sign of (everyone) working together and bringing good stuff to the track. I don’t think it’ll hit me until tomorrow that we were able to finish 1-2-3-4. That’s pretty hard to do.”
The monster-sized accomplishment came at the hands of Bowman, who led the final 97 laps to win the race. He is the second driver to win multiple races so far in 2021.
"I told the guys last week, ‘We’re still the same team that did it at Richmond,’" said Bowman. "This is another really good place for us. I’m just so pumped for Ally. It feels right to put the 48 back in victory lane here after how many races that this car has won here.”
Teammates Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron finished second, third, and fourth, respectively. The drivers combined to lead 382 out of the race’s 400 laps.
Take a look below to see how the Hendrick Motorsports drivers tamed “the Monster Mile” at Dover International Speedway.
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 NATIONSGUARD CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 2nd
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Larson started the race from the second row, rolling off fourth, and made a quick jump to second before taking the lead under caution on Lap 35. Larson held the lead after the green flag waved and never looked back en route to the Stage 1 win. He then pitted at the stage break and returned to the lead.
- The 28-year-old driver was a dominant force during the entire second stage, leading all the laps even through a cycle of pit stops on Lap 172. He claimed the second stage win.
- Larson led the field to the race’s final stage. After a caution on Lap 301, Larson fell to second after pitting. The No. 5 team elected to stay out after a Lap 315 caution, maintaining second place. The race’s final caution was displayed on Lap 326 and he stayed out, running second, which is how he finished the race.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 3rd
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elliott took to the grid eighth but failed pre-race inspection, pushing him back to a 36th-place starting position. However, he surged through the field, breaking into the top 20 by Lap 25.
- At the competition caution, he was 17th and headed to the pits for fresh tires. After a speedy trip to pit road, Elliott jumped to 11th and breeched the top 10 by Lap 45, running 10th. Continuing his tear, Elliott was up to fourth on Lap 114 and finished Stage 1 there.
- Elliott pitted at the stage break and restacked third. A caution came out on Lap 172 and the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet pitted maintained his position, finishing Stage 2 there.
- After pitting at the stage break, Elliott headed back out to the field in third and fell to fourth on the restart on Lap 249. Elliott gained back one position via the caution on Lap 301 and finished the race in third.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 4th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Byron rolled off the grid third and jumped over teammate Kyle Larson on Lap 11 to take second before taking the lead on Lap 16, holding that position through the competition caution on Lap 35. After cycling through pit road, Byron found himself second. The 23-year-old fell to sixth and finished Stage 1 there.
- Byron pitted at the stage break and reshuffled into the field 10th but used his fresh tires to maneuver his way through the field, sitting sixth by Lap 172.
- A caution waved on that lap and Byron took his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to pit road for fresh tires and fuel. A quick stop by his pit crew bumped him to fourth on Lap 177, where he finished Stage 2.
- After pitting during the stage break, Byron set off for the final stage in fourth. He jostled around the middle of the top 10 but made a push to complete the lineup of all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers in the top four, finishing the race fourth.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 1st
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bowman set off to tame “the Monster Mile” in 16th and made quick work of the drivers ahead of him, running 11th by the competition caution. Bowman breeched the top 10 after a quick pit stop under caution, restacking 10th. Bowman carried his momentum through the rest of the stage, finishing eighth.
- During the stage break, the 28-year-old driver headed to pit road for tires and fuel, rejoining the field 14th. He fought his way back to the top 10, running 10th by Lap 151.
- A caution came out on Lap 172 and Bowman was in eighth. After a quick pit stop under yellow, he returned to the track in seventh. Bowman began to find speed, passing teammate William Byron on Lap 215 and finishing Stage 2 in third.
- After pitting at the stage break, Bowman rejoined the pack in second and took the lead after having the fastest pit stop of any team in the 2021 season on Lap 301. Bowman managed to hang on to the lead after several restarts from cautions on Laps 315 and 326, giving him his second win in the 2021 season.