CONCORD, N.C. -- William Byron led the effort for Hendrick Motorsports and placed 14th in Saturday's event at Pocono Raceway.
Jimmie Johnson followed in 21st, Chase Elliott placed 25th and Alex Bowman finished the race in 27th.
Some unfortunate issues and events hindered the Hendrick Motorsports drivers, including Bowman having make an unplanned pit spot after he tapped the outside wall and Elliott dealing with gear issues.
Kevin Harvick won the race.
Below is a closer look at how the first Pocono race of the weekend unfolded for the four Hendrick Motorsports teammates.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 25th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elliott led all Hendrick Motorsports drivers at the start of the race in fifth. He tumbled to 12th one lap in, then was down to 13th by the second lap. Soon he settled back in 12th
- After the competition caution, Elliott jumped to ninth. He was in eighth place on lap 17 when the second caution occurred. Elliott opted not to pit during the caution and was riding in fifth on lap 22.
- Stage 2 saw Elliott break in to the top three. He was in second place by the 45th lap when he opted to pit. Elliott came off pit road in 30th and was up to 18th with 14 laps left in Stage 2.
- The field cycled through after the fourth caution and Elliott in fourth with 10 laps to go in the second stage. He slipped to fifth two laps later before another caution came out. Stage 2 ended with Elliott in 10th place.
- Elliott had to pit again between stages for some adjustments, which brought on a penalty and sent him to the rear of the pack. At the start of the final stage, he was in 27th and he was up to 22nd by lap 86. Four laps later, Elliott made a run and was riding in 14th place.
- He fell to 28th on lap 100 and was in 25th 17 laps later, which is how he ended the race.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 14th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Byron started in 16th and was in 18th place by the second lap after he failed to jump ahead while inside the second corner. By lap 11 he was back in his starting place of 16th.
- Byron was in 14th when the second caution came out on lap 17. He moved his way up to 11th by the end of Stage 1.
- Byron was battling teammate Alex Bowman for seventh place at the start of the second stage. He settled in eighth for the first 15 laps of the stage until he moved into seventh behind Bowman.
- Three laps later, Byron said he started to feel a strange vibration and dropped back to ninth. He was back to sixth after several cars ahead of him opted to pit on lap 45. He then cycled up to fourth.
- Byron finally pitted several laps later and was in 24th when the fourth caution came out. He cycled up to ninth with 10 laps left in Stage 2. However, he tumbled to 17th two laps later. After another caution stalled the race, Byron finished Stage 2 in 25th.
- Byron was still in 25th as the third stage began. He jumped to 16th by lap 87 and was riding in 21st on lap 102. He moved up to 18th with 16 laps left in the race and finished in 14th.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 21st
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Johnson rolled off the grid in 12th place and jumped three spots to ninth by the end of the first lap. He settled in 10th five laps in. By lap 11, he was back in ninth.
- Johnson was down to 18th after the first restart. He moved up 14th with two laps left in Stage 1 but finished it in 17th. Johnson opted to head to pit road and started Stage 2 in 22nd.
- Fifteen laps into the stage, he was up to 17th place. He moved up to 13th on lap 46 after some cars headed to pit road. Johnson pitted with 14 laps left in Stage 2 and lost precious seconds after he overshot his pit box. He was in 32nd with 12 to go.
- Johnson jumped back on the lead lap and was in 23rd when the fifth caution happened on the 46th lap. He was in 21st when the second stage ended.
- Johnson started in 20th for the beginning of Stage 3. He rode in the latter part of the field for most of the third stage and was in 27th with 29 laps left.
- He was up to 22nd with 14 to go and finished the race in 21st.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM/ADAM'S POLISHES CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 27th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bowman started in 10th and was up to seventh place one lap in. He maintained seventh until the competition caution.
- Coming out of that caution, Bowman was in eighth. He lost a couple of spots and was in 10th when the second caution came out on lap 17. He moved up to ninth after it was lifted and ended Stage 1 in that position.
- Bowman moved up to seventh place a couple of laps into Stage 2. He was in sixth by lap 41 with teammate William Byron tailing him in seventh. He finally pitted for the first time on lap 45 and came off pit road in 33rd with four fresh tires.
- He was up to 22nd when another caution came out on lap 64. Coming out of the fourth caution, Bowman cycled up to seventh place. He dropped to eighth a couple of laps later and was in sixth during the restart after the fifth caution, which is how he ended Stage 2.
- Bowman started the final stage in fifth place. He dropped to seventh within the first lap but gained some ground back and was fifth before he opted to pit on lap 92. With 30 to go, Bowman was in 19th. He moved up to 17th 10 laps later. He made a run and was in 12th when he brushed the outside wall and had to head to pit road to fix damage to his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.
- He came off pit road in 29th and a lap down and finished the race in 27th.