Chase Elliott tames the Dover monster in two stages

Chase Elliott leaves Dover with victory, his 14th career, and commands the general classification. His Chevrolet Camaro will take place for a year in the hand of the monster, emblematic mascot of the Delaware track.

The Dover meeting is a must of the season Nascar. With its light concrete surface, the complex boldly claims the status of the fastest 1 mile (1,609 km) oval in the world with lap averages greater than 250 km/h thanks to 24° inclined turns which lead to a diabolical compression and an enormous physical effort 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 set off for the 400 laps on the track, and after 68 laps only the rain made an 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 whereas they were full the day before for the first time in two years.

Dominant the day before, Denny Hamlin took charge of the race to win the first segment and… lost a wheel at the exit of the pits! The dark season continues for the pilot Toyota from Joe Gibbs Racing. As soon as the race restarted, his teammate Christopher Bell suffered from a similar wheel tightening problem and had to return to the pits. 

It will work much less well… © Sean Gardner/Getty Images

The yellow flags would then punctuate the race depending on 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 peloton. 

We had to wait 320 laps to witness the first stop under green flag when Allmendinger, fresh from 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 started again 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, we found in the Top 5 surprises such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr., transparent until then, and Christopher Bell, one lap behind the leaders. The last loops finally took place without incident and Elliott resisted the attacks of Stenhouse Jr. and Ross Chastain, to win his first victory of the season, return to success on an oval which had eluded 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 this evening of counting in its ranks 4 victorious drivers this season.

Ranking of the Duramax Drydene 400 in Dover:

General ranking after the 11th round:

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