2021 Cup Drydene 400: Hendrick dominant in Dover as Bowman heads the pack

Owner Rick Hendrick saw his team lock out the top four at Dover, as Alex Bowman continued the number 48’s winning legacy at Dover International Speedway.

Hendrick became only the third owner in NASCAR’s 73 year history to achieve the feat of having his four cars finish 1-2-3-4 as his Chevy Camaro quartet dominated at the Monster Mile.

It would be Bowman who came out on to though, he jumped his team-mate Kyle Larson in the final round of pit stops and held on over the final 98 lap stint to take his Ally #48 to victory lane.

It was another day of disappointment for Larson, who led 263 of 400 laps and won both stages on Sunday, but would once again fall short of the win. Despite a clean final stop, Bowman’s crew would make the fastest stop of 2021 so far and the #5 would finish two seconds behind his team-mate.

Reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott finished third, while William Byron, claiming his 11th straight top ten, put the icing on the cake on a perfect day for Hendrick, as his organisation won their 267th racing in NASCAR’s pinnacle series.

While it took only one organisation to fill the top four spots, it would take five to fill the remaining six top ten spots. Team Penske’s Joey Logano finished fifth with Stewart-Haas man Kevin Harvick sixth. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin was the top Toyota in seventh, Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick had a solid day, finishing eighth. New boys Trackhouse had an impressive day, Daniel Suarez giving the team their second top ten of the year in ninth. Cole Custer ensured SHR would be the only other team to double up in the top ten, taking the final spot.

Bowman became only the second man to win multiple races in 2021, joining Martin Truex Jr. (three wins). It was a tough day for pole-sitter Truex Jr. however, after dominance last week he would finish a lap down in 19th.

SHR suffered mixed fortunes once again, despite two top ten finishers. Chase Briscoe and Aric Almirola crashed out due to a tyre down each, Briscoe’s right rear at turn one and Almirola’s right front in turn three respectively saw them out of the running.

It was another tricky day for Penske as well, who could only see one car into the top ten for a third race in a row. Logano and Brad Keselowski were each without their crew chiefs for the race, further complicating matters at the Monster Mile.

All three NASCAR National series head to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas next weekend, the inaugural round at COTA of the premiere Stock Car Series.

Race Results:

1. Alex Bowman

2. Kyle Larson

3. Chase Elliott

4. William Byron

5. Joey Logano

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Denny Hamlin

8. Tyler Reddick

9. Daniel Suarez

10. Cole Custer

11. Bubba Wallace

12. Ryan Blaney

13. Kurt Busch

14. Austin Dillon

15. Ross Chastain

16. Brad Keselowski

17. Chris Buescher

18. Ryan Preece

19. Martin Truex Jr

20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr

21. Christopher Bell

22. Erik Jones

23. Ryan Newman

24. Matt DiBenedetto

25. Michael McDowell

26. Corey LaJoie

27. Kyle Busch

28. Anthony Alfredo

29. Quin Houff

30. Josh Berry

31. Cody Ware

32. Garrett Smithley

33. James Davison

34. Josh Bilicki

35. Chase Briscoe

36. BJ McLeod

37. Aric Almirola