Alex Bowman’s late surge earns him a victory at Dover International Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 on Sunday afternoon.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves into Delaware for a Sunday afternoon race at Dover International Speedway. The Monster Mile is a different test for teams and drivers as the concrete surface and steep banking can be treacherous during long runs. With little forgiveness on tire wear, patient drivers often see the most success at Dover.
Last Week’s Winner, Martin Truex Jr Leads to Start the Stage
The race kicks off with Martin Truex Jr. leading the field to the green flag. With William Byron following closely behind, Truex stays in the lead. When the two leaders are caught in lapped traffic, Byron edges Truex Jr for the lead on lap 17.
Byron led the field to the competition caution on lap 37. While under caution, everyone came down pit road for fresh tires. Kyle Larson won the race off pit road to move into the lead for the first time of the day.
With the race running green to the end, Kyle Larson takes over the segment to win the opening stage.
In the Next Stage Kyle Larson Continues his Momentum
Kyle Larson continues to show high speed as he received the green flag to begin the second stage. The race had another long green-flag run with Larson leading with ease.
The caution flag waved on lap 171 with Josh Berry hitting the wall. The field made its way onto pit road and Larson once again reclaims the lead on the exit. Kyle Larson jumped back out into the lead, controlling the rest of the stage to sweep the first two segments.
Alex Bowman’s Late Surge Earns him a Victory at Dover
The final stage is 151 laps. Kyle Larson regained control through the early portion, but the field quickly rejoined as another caution came out on lap 302. Aric Almirola hit the wall hard this time.
The field returned to pit road with Alex Bowman winning the race off and taking his first lead of the day. Alex Bowman had to battle as two more cautions came out back-to-back. Bowman fended off his Hendrick Motorsports teammates on the final restart and took the sole lead.
The race moved into a 69-lap green-flag run. Alex Bowman controlled the field for the entire way. As he weaved through lapped traffic, his lead continued to stretch over his HMS teammates.
Bowman took the white flag and was able to cleanly bring his car around for the checkered flag. Winning his second race of the season, Alex Bowman’s late surge earns him a victory at Dover International Speedway.
For Bowman, it is a crucial second win on the season. In a season where there could be more different winners than playoff spots. Bowman also ran well at a track that typically treats him well. He now has four top-five finishes in eleven starts. Alex Bowman has come a long way and has been starting to work up to his potential in every race he enters.
Historic Day for HMS as they Move in the Right Direction
Hendrick Motorsports is becoming more consistent, which must be a good feeling for everyone in the organization. In the last four years, HMS has not been as strong as many expected. With new drivers taking on big roles within the HMS, they are surprising their fans this year. William Byron now moves to second place in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings, plus it was a historic day for Hendrick Motorsports with all four cars finishing in the top four at Dover – the first time for the organization. Clearly, team owner Rick Hendrick is proud of his drivers’ accomplishments this season.