What happened?
Chase Elliott conquered the Monster Mile at Dover Motor Speedway after passing Ross Chastain for the lead after the race’s final restart. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. passed Chastain as well, finishing second with the Melon Man behind him in third. Fourth and fifth were Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman, respectively.
This victory marks Elliott’s first Cup Series win on an oval since his championship-winning triumph at Phoenix Raceway in November 2020.
How did it happen?
At the beginning of the final stage, it appeared as though a race that had been slowed by caution after caution, delay after delay, for most of the day would finally see itself run under green flag condition long enough for the green flag pit stops to occur.
And indeed, for a very select few, they did. One of which was Kaulig Racing driver AJ Allmendinger, who had been running respectably and was as high as second at one point.
Yet when the sports car racing veteran exited pit road, one of his wheels became detached from his Chevrolet. As the No. 16 limped back to pit road under the power of three wheels, the caution flag waved again.
That’s a penalty. https://t.co/bRtIc1Jb3W pic.twitter.com/2wAxlya4ud
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 2, 2022
It just so happened that race leaders Kyle Busch and Bowman were on pit lane at the same time. To make matters worse, they had already gone a lap down under the green flag pitting cycle. It meant that even though the duo could use the wave around to get themselves back on the lead lap, they would have to start at the rear of the field as a result, losing all of their track position.
Everyone that had stayed out at that point would be able to stay on the lead lap. That’s where the likes of Elliott and Chastain come in.
Chastain, who had led 71 laps at that point, would win the following race off pit road. Elliott would follow in second.
On the following restart on lap 331 out of 400, everyone watched the two as they shifted through the…
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