Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) and Kyle Larson dominated the Drydene 400 as Alex Bowman and his pit crew captured the NASCAR Cup Series win at Dover International Speedway.
Kyle Larson spent most of the race as the leader. He took his first lead Sunday afternoon on lap 38. He would spend 263 of the 400 lap race as the leader. Kyle scored the win in the first and second stages of the race. Kyle does have a win in 2021 (Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 3/7/21). However, he has been the dominant car or in position to win at other races this season without closing the deal. That would be the case again at Dover.
Following the final caution of the race, Alex Bowman’s pit crew was able to deliver the fastest pit stop of the all teams in the 2021 season so far. That performance moved their driver up from second place to first place for the impending re-start of the race. That single spot advance would be enough for Alex to control the race for the final 97 laps. Alex claimed his first win on the “Monster Mile” at Dover. It was his second win of the 2021 season. He joins Martin Truex Jr. as the only two drivers with multiple wins in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Alex’s three HMS teammates were able to line-up behind him for the finish. Kyle Larson grabbed the second place finish. Chase Elliott finished in third place with William Byron claiming fourth place. That gave HMS owner Rick Hendrick his first ever one, two, three, four finish on the NASCAR Cup Series. In fact, this is only the fourth time this has happened in NASCAR Cup Series history. Peter DePaolo Racing achieved it in 1956 and 1957. Roush-Fenway Racing did it in 2005.
Joey Logano rounded out the top five in Sunday’s race. See the complete race results for the Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway here.
Denny Hamlin continues to lead in the point standings. William Byron was able to move a spot to second place pushing Martin Truex Jr. back to third place. Joey Logano holds steady at fourth in the points while Kyle Larson moves up to take over fifth place. See the complete NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
Next the drivers and teams head to a new road course on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit. Sunday, May 23rd is the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
By: Buck Stevens
