Chase Elliott leaves Dover with the victory, his 14th in career, and commands of the general classification. His Chevrolet Camaro will take place for a year in the hands of the monster, emblematic mascot of the Delaware track.
The Dover meeting is a staple of the Nascar season. With its clear concrete surface, the complex boldly claims the status of the fastest 1-mile (1.609 km) oval in the world with lap averages in excess of 250 km/h thanks to 24° banked turns which lead to diabolical compression and enormous physical exertion for the pilots.
The Dover Mile is a motor racing landmark © Sean Gardner/Getty Images
The sky was very threatening on Sunday when the peloton started for the 400 laps on the program, and following 68 laps only the rain made its appearance. If the officials tried to keep the cars on the track under yellow flag to dry out the track, they had to resolve to neutralize the event on the 78th lap. The circuit not being equipped with night lighting, and the showers intensifying on the Delaware, the postponement of the race was inevitable.
Total change of atmosphere this Monday with a beautiful blue sky and unfortunately sparse stands while they were full the day before for the first time in two years.
Dominant the day before, Denny Hamlin took the race in hand to win the first segment and… lose a wheel in the process at the exit of the pits! The black season continues for the Toyota driver of Joe Gibbs Racing. As soon as the race restarted, his team-mate Christopher Bell suffered from a similar wheel lock problem and had to return to the pits.
She will walk much less well… © Sean Gardner/Getty Images
The yellow flags would then punctuate the race according to the incidents caused by Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin or Ryan Blaney winner of the second segment. The list of contenders for victory melted like snow in the sun as Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman broke away from the pack.
It took 320 laps to witness the first pit stop under green flag when Allmendinger, fresh out of the pits, caused a neutralization by losing a wheel. Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman who had just stopped lost the advantage of their good race and restarted around 15th place.
Chase Elliott takes the lead before the final sprint © Sean Gardner/Getty Images
If Chase Elliott took the opportunity to take control of the race, there were surprises in the Top 5 such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr., transparent until then, and Christopher Bell, a time one lap behind the leaders. The last loops finally took place without incident and Elliott withstood the attacks of Stenhouse Jr. and Ross Chastain, to win his first victory of the season, reconnect with a success on oval which had been avoiding him since the end of 2020 and take control of the Championship!
He’s been waiting on this one.
???? it ⬇️ @chaseelliott. pic.twitter.com/TZzIjnds9B
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 2, 2022
If Hendrick Motorsports does not repeat the feat of 2021 which saw it sign a quadruple, it can boast tonight of counting in its ranks 4 victorious drivers this season.
Ranking the Duramax Drydene 400 in Dover:
General classification following the 11th round:
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