Page 15 - aruba-today-20220503

A15
sports Tuesday 3 May 2022

Chase Elliott wins at Dover to snap 26-race winless streak

By DAN GELSTON for the 22nd time at Dover. out of the gate with early spot looked familiar at Do- lost serious ground after a
AP Sports Writer Hendrick swept the top four season wins; Byron already ver, but that was just the tip left-front tire wasn't prop-
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Chase spots last season; this one has two wins. Elliott has only of four different teams in the erly attached to his No. 11
Elliott had a front-row seat Toyota and rolled down
for the Hendrick Motors- the track. Hamlin apolo-
ports trophy celebrations gized this week for posting
and photo shoots and all a crass anti-Asian meme on
the kitschy social media Twitter.
posts created as one by Hamlin worked his way
one — and as his three back into fourth when he
teammates won, and won connected with Cody
and won again — they all Ware and brought out the
brought home checkered caution on Lap 242. Hamlin
flags. finished 21st.
Elliott rarely needs a moti- Larson also spun on the
vational nudge to park his frontstretch and blew the
Chevy in victory lane, so front and rear right tires
while he felt happy for the on his Chevrolet. AJ All-
drivers, he didn't necessar- mendinger also lost a tire.
ily use their successes as a Allmendinger's and Ham-
means to create artificial lin's teams are expected
fire to try to match them. to receive NASCAR punish-
"My drive to win and my job ments for the loose wheels.
to do my job to the best of DOVER FUTURE
my ability doesn't change Dover wrapped its only
whether we are struggling, NASCAR weekend of the
whether are we doing very season. The track tradi-
good, whether I'm in a con- tionally held two NASCAR
tract year or not, whether weekends but moved one
my teammates have won Chase Elliott, center, celebrates in Victory Lane after a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Dover race date last season to
and I haven't," Elliott said. Motor Speedway, Monday, May 2, 2022, in Dover, Del. Nashville Superspeedway.
He drove to the best of his Associated Press Dover hosted one race
ability again Monday at weekend in 1969 and 1970
Dover Motor Speedway clinched the four playoff one finish worse than 14th top four spots. Ricky Sten- and then held two races
and earned his first victory spots. this season and rolled into house Jr. was second and every season from 1971 to
of the season, making Hen- Elliott, who leads the points Dover with three straight had his first top-five finish of 2020.
drick Motorsports drivers 4 standings, hopped on the top-10 finishes at Martins- the season for JTG Daugh- Speedway Motorsports
for 4 in the win column this window ledge of his No. 9 ville, Bristol dirt and Talla- erty Racing. Chastain was bought the track (Dover
season. It's barely May and Chevrolet and pointed in dega. third for Trackhouse Racing Motorsports) late last year.
Elliott, Kyle Larson, William appreciation toward a solid "If you just look at the box and Joe Gibbs Racing driv- Speedway Motorsports
Byron and Alex Bowman crowd for a weekday race. score, you don't see it," er Christopher Bell finished President Marcus Smith
already are locked into the The finish was delayed a crew chief Alan Gustafson fourth. worked the Dover gates
playoffs. day because of rain. said. "But I think we've been Martin Truex Jr. spun him- and greeted fans Monday
The summer run will be a "We just had some good pretty close." self out on the last lap while with the track short-staffed
tuneup for the 10-race circumstances, finally," El- Elliott snatched the lead racing for a top-five finish because of the postpone-
shootout. liott said. "We've had some from Ross Chastain, last when he appeared to get ment.
There's a new car this sea- tough races over the last week's watermelon-smash- boxed out by Chastain. "I think it's a great event
son in NASCAR — and the four, five months. This one ing winner at Talladega Su- Truex confronted Chastain and I hope we continue to
same old results for Hen- means a lot in so many dif- perspeedway, and pulled on pit road. race there for a long time.
drick at Dover. ferent ways. Hope to see away on the concrete. "We were talking about It's definitely a cool place,"
Elliott snapped a 26-race this big crowd here next Chastain led 86 laps and where we were going to go Bowman said.
winless streak when the year." Kyle Busch, who finished fishing next week," Chastain UP NEXT
2020 NASCAR champion His last win was July 4 at seventh, led a race-high cracked. "I'm racing with The Cup Series races next
led the final 53 laps to win Road America. 103. champions and I got beat." Sunday at Darlington
his 14th career Cup race. Even without a win, Elliott "I feel like we've had a lot One of those champions? Raceway in South Caro-
He gave team owner Rick had been building toward of pace at different times The one whose Chevy was lina. Truex is the defend-
Hendrick another triumph this moment. The 2020 NAS- throughout the year," Elliott dotted in confetti in victory ing race winner. Toyota is
on the mile concrete track. CAR champion and reign- said. "We just hadn't put an lane. set to celebrate its 1,500th
Elliott followed Bowman's ing most popular driver, entire race together until TIRED OUT NASCAR race during Dar-
checkered flag a year ago Elliott took a steady pace today." Denny Hamlin, who won lington's annual Throwback
as a Hendrick driver won while his teammates burst A Hendrick car in the top the first stage of the race, Weekend.q