Kevin Harvick needed to win at Dover International Speedway to ensure his advance on the NASCAR Chase Grid and he did just that in the AAA 400. Some of the other contenders were not as lucky with their finishes.
That last sentence was not to imply that Kevin’s win was a result of luck, quite the opposite in fact. After qualifying was rained out, the starting grid was set by driver points. The meant that Kevin started from the 15th position. It did not take long for him to work his way forward and serve notice that he had every intention of advancing on the Chase Grid in this elimination race. Kevin took the lead on lap 24 and began setting a blistering pace for the race. He would keep his #4 Chevrolet out front for a race high 355 laps of the 400 lap race.
The “luck” reference previously was intended instead for drivers like Jimmie Johnson. Yes, the six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion would have some bad luck on the Monster Mile of Dover. With just over one quarter of the race complete, Jimmie had to head to the garage after a rear axle seal failed. The team had to replace the rear end on the #48 Chevrolet. By the time the repair was complete Jimmie was over 30 laps down when he returned to the track with his hopes of advancing to the next round of the Chase over.
Other Chase Grid drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jamie McMurray were battling in races within the race at Dover. These two drivers would exchange the 12th and 13th spot on the Chase Grid multiple times through the race. In the end both drivers did all they could to advance to the next round, but it would Dale Jr. who would get the final transfer spot on the Chase Grid.
As far as the actual race at Dover International Speedway, it was Kevin Harvick scoring the win with Kyle Busch grabbing the second place finish. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished in third with Jamie McMurray in fourth and Aric Almirola rounding out the top five. See the complete race results for the AAA 400 here.
The four Chase Grid drivers that were eliminated following the completion of the Challenger Round are Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson, Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer.
The remaining 12 Chase Grid drivers now begin the Contender Round in a tie in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings. All of the drivers have their point totals re-set to 3,000 points each. There are no bonus points for wins or anything else. That means that all 12 drivers have a clean slate to work with over the next three races to advance in NASCAR’s playoffs. See the Chase Grid following the race at Dover here.
The first chance they have to win one of the three races and get an automatic advance to the next round in the Chase will come under the lights, Saturday night (10/10) in the Bank Of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, lead the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, lead the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, leads Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, leads Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, and Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Dale Earnrhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Plenti Chevrolet, leads Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, races Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, leads Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, pit during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout in front of his crew after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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- DOVER, DE – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images)
