Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, IL — July 1, 2019
With a run of 2nd place finishes and consistently strong showings in race Stages, you knew it would not be long before Alex Bowan(88) captured his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. That win came yesterday at Chicagoland Speedway.
Praised for his abundant talent, the driver who took over the #88 ride from Dale Earnhardt Jr., showed all of his skills in battling Kyle Larson(42) for the win.
The Race
Austin Dillon(3) won the pole and Kevin Harvick(4) started next to him on the front row for the Camping World 400. Stages for the race are 80/80/107. A total of 267 laps make up the 400.5-mile race.
Stage 1
Dillon took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Jimmie Johnson(48) moving up from his 4th starting position to challenge for the lead in the early laps. The 7-time Champion took the top spot on Lap 8. On Lap 11 a nearby lightning strike brings the field to pit road as the red flag is displayed. Fans and crews are advised to seek shelter.
The official delay was three hours, 18 minutes and 26 seconds before racing resumed. Another 5 caution laps preceded the green flag. It only took Austin Dillon two laps to regain the lead. Two laps later, Harvick was out front for the first time.
Harvick leads the majority of the laps in the first Stage until a flat tire sends him to pit road on Lap 73. A rash of late pit stops jumbles the stage standings. Denny Hamlin takes the green and white checkered for the Stage win.
Stage 1 Results
| Car | Driver | Stage Points |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | 10 |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski* | 9 |
| 34 | Michael McDowell* | 8 |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | 7 |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | 6 |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | 5 |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick* | 4 |
| 24 | William Byron | 3 |
| 88 | Alex Bowman | 2 |
| 1 | Kurt Busch | 1 |
* Ford Mustang Drivers
Stage 2
Harvick is back into the lead at the beginning of Stage 2. William Byron(24) worked his way to the front at Lap 100. He keeps the lead through a caution flag and pit stops. Until Johnson pushes Harvick back out front and the race settles into the predictable pattern of Stage 1.
Chase Elliott(9) makes a late Stage run at Harvick who manages to fend him off and win his 4th Stage of the season.
Stage 2 Results
| Car | Driver | Stage Points |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick* | 10 |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | 9 |
| 42 | Kyle Larson | 8 |
| 88 | Alex Bowman | 7 |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | 6 |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | 5 |
| 24 | William Byron | 4 |
| 1 | Kurt Busch | 3 |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | 2 |
| 10 | Aric Almirola* | 1 |
* Ford Mustang Drivers
The Final Stage
In a four-way shuffle for the lead, Kyle Larson(42) emerges in the top spot. A few laps later Bowman is out front as Harvick scrapes the outside wall, setting up for the battle that will determine the victor. Larson and Bowman race side-by-side, but Bowman prevails and begins to build a lead. Until he pits on Lap 219.
After the field cycled through pit stops, Bowman returned to the front with Larson almost three seconds back. As the laps wind down Larson begins to close the gap. With 10 laps to go, Larson is within a quarter of a second behind Bowman.
With seven laps to go Larson gets beside the #88 car and edges ahead. But, two laps later Bowman moves back out front. He holds on for that elusive first Cup Series Win. Locking down a playoff spot in the process.
Next week it’s back to Daytona for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Saturday Night under the lights.
Results of the Camping World 400 From Chicagoland Speedway
Position Car Driver Laps 1 88 Alex Bowman 267 2 42 Kyle Larson 267 3 22 Joey Logano 267 4 48 Jimmie Johnson 267 5 2 Brad Keselowski 267 6 12 Ryan Blaney 267 7 20 Erik Jones 267 8 24 William Byron 267 9 19 M. Truex Jr. 267 10 3 Austin Dillon 267 11 9 Chase Elliott 267 12 17 R. Stenhouse Jr 267 13 1 Kurt Busch 267 14 4 Kevin Harvick 267 15 11 Denny Hamlin 267 16 10 Aric Almirola 267 17 6 Ryan Newman 267 18 37 Chris Buescher 266 19 8 Daniel Hemric 266 20 34 M. McDowell 266 21 21 Paul Menard 266 22 18 Kyle Busch 266 23 38 David Ragan 265 24 41 Daniel Suarez 265 25 43 Bubba Wallace 264 26 15 Ross Chastain 264 27 95 M. DiBenedetto 264 28 47 Ryan Preece 264 29 36 Matt Tifft 263 30 32 Corey LaJoie 263 31 0 Landon Cassill 260 32 52 Bayley Currey 258 33 53 Josh Bilicki 257 34 27 Reed Sorenson 249 35 13 Ty Dillon 239 36 51 B.J. McLeod 238 37 14 Clint Bowyer 172 38 77 Quin Houff 100
Points / Playoff Standings
Rank Driver Points Wins 4 Joey Logano 677 2 1 Kyle Busch 659 4 3 Brad Keselowski 610 3 8 Kevin Harvick 610 0 2 M. Truex Jr. 581 4 5 Denny Hamlin 574 2 6 Chase Elliott 570 1 9 Kurt Busch 537 0 7 Alex Bowman 509 1 10 Ryan Blaney 499 0 11 Aric Almirola 482 0 12 William Byron 455 0 13 Kyle Larson 451 0 14 Jimmie Johnson 436 0 15 Daniel Suarez 434 0 16 Clint Bowyer 431 0 Playoff Cut Line 17 Erik Jones 416 0 18 Ryan Newman 411 0 19 R. Stenhouse Jr 373 0 20 Paul Menard 369 0
