After a week of coming up short, fans were wondering if the Hendrick curse would be lifted. Well they got their answer last night during the second race at Charlotte.
Chase Elliott has won the Alsco Uniforms 500 for Hendrick Motorsports. The 9 Kelly Blue Books Chevrolet Camaro led 28 laps and took the lead away from Kevin Harvick with just a few laps to go. This is Elliott’s seventh career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of 2020 and his first the Motor Speedway not counting the Roval.
The rest of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished outside the top ten. Jimmie Johnson finished 11th in the Ally Chevy, bouncing back from his disqualification after the Coke 600. William Byron finished 12th leading 11 laps in the 24 Axalta Chevy. Alex Bowman did win stage two and led 51 laps. It looked like he could compete for the win again. However, the 88 Chevygoods.com/NOCO Camaro hit the wall, ruining his day. Bowman finished 31st.
Joe Gibbs Racing was up and down throughout the night. Denny Hamlin continues to be the strongest out of the group. The 11 FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota Camry did not lead a lap but finished second, without his crew chief Chris Gabehart. Martin Truex Jr was silent all night long and finished ninth in the 19 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats/ATVs Camry. Erik Jones was nowhere to be seen all night as the 20 Craftsman Camry finished 26th. Kyle Busch was trying to make his way to the front. However, the 18 Fudge Brownie M&M’s Toyota made contact with Aric Almirola, causing a tire to go down. Busch would finish 29th.
Ryan Blaney led the way for Team Penske in the 12 BodyArmor Ford Mustang. He led two laps but could not catch Chase Elliott or Denny Hamlin, settling for third. Joey Logano won stage one and led 42 laps. He would finish sixth in the 22 Shell/Pennzoil Mustang. Coca-Cola 600 winner Brad Keselowski finished seventh in the the 2 Discount Tire Ford.
One of the best cars all night long was the 4 Busch Light #FaceAtTheRace Ford for Stewart Haas-Racing’s Kevin Harvick. Harvick led a race high 63 of 208 laps looking like he was about to win. However, the tired were wearing out and the handling became worse. Harvick would finish 10th. That was the highest finishing SHR car as the others just were not fast. Clint Bowyer finished 16th in the 14 Peak Coolant & Antifreeze Ford, rookie Cole Custer finished 18th in the 41 HaasTooling.com Ford, and Aric Almirola finished 20th in the 10 Smithfield Mustang.
Matt DiBenedetto led 10 laps in the opening of the race before all of the lightning hit. Afterwards, the 21 Richmond Water Heaters/Menards Ford for Wood Brothers Racing faded and finished 15th.
Michael McDowell led a lap in the 34 carparts.com Mustang for Front Row Motorsports. He would finish 25th spinning out across the start/finish line in the grass. Rookie John Hunter Nemechek continues to impress in low equipment as the 38 Scag Power Equipment Ford finished 13th.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr has had a tough 2020 so far looking for a new beginning. Tonight was a step in the right direction as the 47 Kroger Camaro finished fourth. His teammate Ryan Preece finished Cottonelle Chevy for JTG-Daugherty Racing.
The next race is the Food City Presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in which Series Champion Kyle Busch looks to defend his Bristol win.
ALSCO UNIFORMS 500 RESULTS:
- Chase Elliott 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro Hendrick Motorsports
- Denny Hamlin 11 FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota Camry Joe Gibbs Racing
- Ryan Blaney 12 BodyArmor Ford Mustang Team Penske
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 Kroger Chevrolet Camaro JTG-Daugherty Racing
- Kurt Busch 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet Camaro Chip Ganassi Racing
- Joey Logano 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Team Penske
- Brad Keselowski 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang Team Penske
- Austin Dillon 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Chevrolet Camaro Richard Childress Racing
- Martin Truex Jr. 19 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats/ATVs Toyota Camry Joe Gibbs Racing
- Kevin Harvick 4 Busch Light #FaceAtTheRace Ford Mustang Stewart-Haas Racing
- Jimmie Johnson 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro Hendrick Motorsports
- William Byron 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro Hendrick Motorsports
- John Hunter Nemechek (R) 38 Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang Front Row Motorsports
- Tyler Reddick (R) 8 Okuma Chevrolet Camaro Richard Childress Racing
- Matt DiBenedetto 21 Richmond Water Heaters/Menards Ford Mustang Wood Brothers Racing
- Clint Bowyer 14 Peak Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang Stewart-Haas Racing
- Ryan Newman 6 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Roush-Fenway Racing
- Cole Custer (R) 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Stewart-Haas Racing
- Corey LaJoie 32 Superior Logistics Services Incorporated Ford Mustang Go Fas Racing
- Aric Almirola 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang Stewart-Haas Racing
- Christopher Bell (R) 95 Procore Construction Software Toyota Camry Leavine Family Racing
- Chris Buescher 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang Roush-Fenway Racing
- Matt Kenseth 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet Camaro Chip Ganassi Racing
- Ryan Preece 37 Cottonelle Chevrolet Camaro JTG-Daugherty Racing
- Michael McDowell 34 carports.com Ford Mustang Front Row Motorsports
- Erik Jones 20 Craftsman Toyota Camry Joe Gibbs Racing
- Ty Dillon 13 GEICO Chevrolet Camaro Germain Racing
- Daniel Suárez 96 Toyota Dealers Toyota Camry Gaunt Brothers Racing
- Kyle Busch 18 Fudge Brownie M&M’s Toyota Camry Joe Gibbs Racing
- Gray Gaulding 27 Panini Trading Cards Ford Mustang Rick Ware Racing
- Alex Bowman 88 NOCO/ChevyGoods.com Chevrolet Camaro Hendrick Motorsports
- Quin Houff 00 Good Greek Moving Storage Chevrolet Camaro StarCom Racing
- Timmy Hill 66 RoofClaim.com Toyota Camry MBM Motorsports
- J.J. Yeley 77 Aquesta Bank Chevrolet Camaro Spire Motorsports
- B.J. McLeod 78 Circle Track Warehouse Auction Ford Mustang B.J. McLeod Motorsports
- Josh Bilicki (R) 7 Strutmasters.com Chevrolet Camaro Tommy Baldwin Racing
- Bubba Wallace 43 World Wide Technology Chevrolet Camaro Richard Petty Motorsports
- Brennan Poole (R) 15 Spartan Mosquito Pro Tech Chevrolet Camaro Premium Motorsports
- Joey Gase 51 Agri Supply Company/Carolina Cooker Ford Mustang Rick Ware Racing
- Garrett Smithley 53 Dream Giveaway Chevrolet Camaro Rick Ware Racing