{"id":33987,"date":"2021-05-16T19:49:09","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T00:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=33987"},"modified":"2021-05-16T20:05:13","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T01:05:13","slug":"alex-bowman-leads-hendrick-motorsports-sweep-of-top-four-positions-at-dover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2021\/05\/16\/alex-bowman-leads-hendrick-motorsports-sweep-of-top-four-positions-at-dover\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Bowman leads Hendrick Motorsports sweep of top four positions at Dover"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, celebrates his win during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

Say this about Alex Bowman, the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet has got his timing right. The Hendrick Motorsports driver took the lead off pit road following his final pit stop with 97 of 400 race laps remaining, held off the field on two more race restarts and earned his second victory of the year in Sunday\u2019s Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.<\/p>\n

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Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

The win punctuated a historic Hendrick Motorsports day at the famed one-mile track, with the team becoming the third organization in NASCAR Cup Series history to finish 1-2-3-4 in a single event; joining Peter DePaolo Racing (Dec. 30, 1956 at Titusville, April 7, 1957 at North Wilkesboro) and Roush Fenway Racing (Nov. 20, 2005 at Homestead-Miami). Bowman held off his teammate Kyle Larson by 2.017-seconds. Chase Elliott (third) and William Byron (fourth) finished just behind marking the first time in the organization\u2019s 267-victory history it\u2019s had a four-car sweep atop the scoreboard.<\/p>\n

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Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, celebrates his win during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

It was actually Larson who paced the field most of the day \u2013 leading a race best 263 of the opening 303 laps and sweeping both Stage 1 and Stage 2 victories  – his series-best fifth and sixth stage wins of the season. And at one point, Sunday, he led the field by a full eight-seconds.<\/p>\n

But Bowman\u2019s team turned in the single fastest pit stop of the entire 2021 season during a late race caution period and got the car back on track just in front of Larson. Bowman held off his teammate on the restart and pulled away to a comfortable win.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys won that race not me,” Bowman excitedly shouted to his team after taking the checkered flag. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of you.”<\/p>\n

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Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 NationsGuard Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had a track record 11 previous victories at Dover \u2013 all with driver Jimmie Johnson, who retired from fulltime NASCAR competition at the end of the 2020 season. The 28-year old Tucson native, Bowman, just started piloting the No. 48 this year, winning at Richmond, Va. last month – again turning in a late race rally \u2013 leading only the final 10 laps en route to that win.<\/p>\n

Certainly, the Hendrick Motorsports organization showed early-on Sunday that it was ready to settle the trophy among its drivers. In all, Bowman, Larson and Byron combined to lead 381 of the 400 laps.<\/p>\n

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William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

As the laps wound down, television cameras captured team owner Rick Hendrick nervously pacing on pit road, well aware of the significance of his four cars atop the scoring pylon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can guarantee you this is the most nervous I\u2019ve ever been in a race,” a beaming Rick Hendrick said. \u201cGreat day for the organization. And Alex, congratulations to him. This is a sign of the guys working together and bringing good stuff to the track.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it will hit me until tomorrow that we were able to finish one, two, three, four. That\u2019s pretty hard to do, things can happen, pit stops, tires, anything. That\u2019s a first and we\u2019ll take it. It was a great day for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 NationsGuard Chevrolet, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Not only was it a win for Bowman, a seriously strong effort by Larson, but it was also another statement-making day for the 23-year-old William Byron. It marks his 11th straight top-10 finish \u2013 making him the youngest in series history to put together a string of excellence like that.<\/p>\n

Team Penske\u2019s Joey Logano finished fifth, followed by Stewart-Haas Racing\u2019s Kevin Harvick (sixth) and Joe Gibbs Racing\u2019s Denny Hamlin (seventh).<\/p>\n

Richard Childress Racing\u2019s Tyler Reddick turned in his sixth top-10 finish of the season with an eighth-place finish. Daniel Suarez finished ninth \u2013 his second top 10 for the new TrackHouse Racing team and Stewart-Haas Racing\u2019s Cole Custer earned his second top 10 of the season.<\/p>\n

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Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota, leads the field at the start during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

With his work this weekend, Byron moves into second place in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings \u2013 101 points behind Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin. Three-race winner Martin Truex Jr., who finished 19th, is now third, 102 points behind Hamlin.<\/p>\n

The showing at Dover marks the 11th time in 13 races this season that Hendrick Motorsports has had at least two drivers finish in the top-10. Six times now, three of the team\u2019s four drivers have earned top-10 finishes in the same race.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won Richmond and then had a really rough couple of weeks there,” Bowman said. \u201cWe went to some really good racetracks for us and struggled. I told the guys last week, \u2018we\u2019re still the same team that did it at Richmond.\u2019 This is another really good place for us.<\/p>\n

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Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 McDonald’s Toyota, races during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just so pumped for [sponsor] Ally. It feels right to put the 48 back in Victory Lane here after how many races that this car has won here.”<\/p>\n

All three of NASCAR\u2019s national series will debut at the Circuit of The Americas next week in Austin, Texas. The EchoPark Texas Grand Prix will start at 2:30 p.m. ET next Sunday (FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).<\/p>\n

 <\/h3>\n

 <\/h3>\n

 <\/h3>\n

Interviews:<\/h3>\n

Third place finisher Chase Elliott (No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet), second-place finisher Kyle Larson (No. 5 NationsGuard Chevrolet), race-winning team owner Rick Hendrick, driver Alex Bowman and crew chief Greg Ives (No. 48 Ally Chevrolet)<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/NCSDoverElliottLarsonHendrickBowmanIves051621.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

NASCAR Cup Series Race – 52nd Annual Drydene 400<\/b><\/p>\n

Dover International Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

Dover, Delaware<\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday, May 16, 2021<\/b><\/p>\n

               1. (16)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               2. (4)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               3. (8)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               4. (3)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               5. (9)  Joey Logano, Ford, 400.<\/p>\n

               6. (5)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 400.<\/p>\n

               7. (2)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 400.<\/p>\n

               8. (12)  Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               9. (24)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               10. (30)  Cole Custer, Ford, 400.<\/p>\n

               11. (22)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 400.<\/p>\n

               12. (7)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 400.<\/p>\n

               13. (28)  Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               14. (14)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               15. (19)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 400.<\/p>\n

               16. (15)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 400.<\/p>\n

               17. (10)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 400.<\/p>\n

               18. (25)  Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, 399.<\/p>\n

               19. (1)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 399.<\/p>\n

               20. (20)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 399.<\/p>\n

               21. (11)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 396.<\/p>\n

               22. (23)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 396.<\/p>\n

               23. (13)  Ryan Newman, Ford, 396.<\/p>\n

               24. (18)  Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 395.<\/p>\n

               25. (21)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 395.<\/p>\n

               26. (26)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 393.<\/p>\n

               27. (6)  Kyle Busch, Toyota, 393.<\/p>\n

               28. (27)  Anthony Alfredo #, Ford, 392.<\/p>\n

               29. (35)  Quin Houff, Chevrolet, 388.<\/p>\n

               30. (29)  Josh Berry(i), Chevrolet, 388.<\/p>\n

               31. (34)  Cody Ware(i), Chevrolet, 387.<\/p>\n

               32. (36)  Garrett Smithley(i), Chevrolet, 383.<\/p>\n

               33. (33)  James Davison, Chevrolet, 382.<\/p>\n

               34. (37)  Josh Bilicki, Ford, 381.<\/p>\n

               35. (17)  Chase Briscoe #, Ford, 335.<\/p>\n

               36. (31)  BJ McLeod(i), Ford, Engine, 334.<\/p>\n

               37. (32)  Aric Almirola, Ford, Accident, 300.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  120.05 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 19 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory:  2.017 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  7 for 41 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  10 among 5 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   M. Truex Jr. 1-15;W. Byron 16-36;M. Truex Jr. 37;K. Larson 38-122;D. Hamlin 123;K. Larson 124-172;D. Hamlin 173;K. Larson 174-243;A. Bowman 244;K. Larson 245-303;A. Bowman 304-400.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Kyle Larson 4 times for 263 laps; Alex Bowman 2 times for 98 laps; William Byron 1 time for 21 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 2 times for 16 laps; Denny Hamlin 2 times for 2 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 5,11,12,9,4,24,22,48,17,2<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 5,9,48,24,11,4,1,2,3,8<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service Say this about Alex Bowman, the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet has got his timing right. The Hendrick Motorsports driver took the lead off pit road following his final pit stop with 97 of 400 race laps remaining, held off the field on two more race restarts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":33991,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[491,222,16],"class_list":["post-33987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-alex-bowman","tag-dover-international-speedway","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/GettyImages-1318355718-scaled-e1621212003139.jpg?fit=640%2C422&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-8Qb","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33987"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34002,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33987\/revisions\/34002"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}