Motorsport-Magazin.com – The 25th race of the regular season at Dover International Speedway was the second race on the double header weekend on the dreaded ‘Monster Mile’. The last of a total of six double-header races of the current season was won by Kevin Harvick after 311 laps on the short concrete track. The Stewart-Haas driver won all three stages with a total of 223 laps in the lead, the seventh win of the season. With the third Dover victory, he screwed his career record to 56 successes. At the same time, Harvick is early Regular Season Champion. He can no longer be ousted by Denny Hamlin. Harvick and Hamlin won all six races at the three double-header weekends in Pocono, Michigan and Dover. In Dover, Harvick took the fourth double-header victory and at the same time the 700th anniversary victory for the manufacturer Ford.
Matt DiBenedetto is on pole position for the first time
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Before the start: Saturday’s top 20 starts in reverse order
For the 24th and 25th races of the season 40 drivers were registered by the teams for the third double header of the ‘Corona season’ at Dover International Speedway. For the 13th and 14th time this year there is a complete starting field with 40 drivers. The four open teams are all eligible to start. Driver changes after the announcement of the starting grid will be punished with a penalty transfer to the end of the field. For the race in Dover there were a total of four driver changes for the race on Saturday and no changes on Sunday.
The top 40 on the grid was determined for the second race on Sunday after the race result on Saturday. The top 20 starts in reverse order and from 21st to 39th place after the result of race 24. This means that Matt DiBenedetto is in pole position in his 201st Cup race for the first time this season and race winner Denny Hamlin starts the race over 311 laps from position 20.
Start / Stage 1: Three penalty transfers
After the accidents on Saturday, Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman had to switch to their replacement vehicle and start from behind. Garrett Smithley also lost his starting position after changing the engine. Pole setter DiBenedetto won the start and then led the race. In the sixth round there was the first yellow phase when Ricky Stenhouse Junior landed in the wall after contact by Joey Logano. Chase Elliott, Joey Gase, Erik Jones, and Garrett Smithley were also involved. Elliott had to go to the garage after contacting Kyle Busch.
Aric Almirola won the restart ahead of Ryan Blaney and DiBenedetto. Hamlin had reached the top 10 after 25 rounds. Team mate Martin Truex Junior was also on the advance in twelfth place. Because of debris, there was the second caution in lap 33. Pit stops followed halfway through Stage 1. Blaney, William Byron and Kurt Busch fell by the wayside. There followed with DiBenedetto, Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon and Jimmie Johnson four drivers who only took two fresh tires with them. Almirola was the first driver with completely new tires in eighth place.
Stage 1: Harvick takes sixth stage win after 70 laps
Blaney won the restart ahead of Byron and was then able to pull away a little. Then the Penske pilot checked the stage. Two laps before the end of the stage, Kevin Harvick suddenly flew up and after 70 laps secured a stage win for the sixth time. Blaney finished second ahead of Byron, Almirola, Brad Keselowski, Logano, DiBenedetto, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Austin Dillon.
Stage 2: After 185 laps, Harvick also wins the second stage
There were pit stops in the first Conclusion Caution between the stages. Harvick won the pit lane race ahead of Blaney, Byron, Logano, Keselowski, Johnson and Hamlin. There was a longer interruption because the concrete runway had to be repaired. Harvick remained the leader after the restart. In the following laps, Harvick extended the lead over Blaney further. In the 99th round there was the fourth caution after contact between Corey LaJoie and Ty Dillon. Logano was able to take the lead in the pit lane. Harvick was second, ahead of Blaney, Hamlin and Truex. Johnson received a speeding penalty.
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Repair work on the concrete runway
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Logano maintained the lead after the restart. But Harvick took first place back on lap 115. After 140 laps, Harvick was 2.5 seconds ahead. Blaney was another two seconds behind Logano. Twenty laps later, Harvick was six seconds ahead of Logano. On lap 180, Hamlin and Truex grabbed the powerless Blaney. Harvick won the uneventful stage after 185 laps with ten seconds ahead of Logano, Hamlin, Truex, Blaney, Byron, Bowman, rookie Cole Custer, Johnson and the tenth Keselowski.
Stage 3: The duel between Harvick and Hamlin ended abruptly
After the pit stops in the second Conclusion Caution, the final stage followed over 126 laps. There were no changes in the top 9 before the restart. Harvick won the start again. Harvick immediately pulled away easily. On lap 216, rookie Quin Houff made the sixth caution. There were pit stops. The three of Harvick, Logano and Hamlin got back on track unchanged. Harvick remained the leader after the restart, but Hamlin was able to overtake Logano and was now second.
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The giants duel between Denny Hamlin (# 11) and Kevin Harvick (# 4) ended far too early
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But Hamlin had to make an extra stop because of a loose bike and was only in 29th position, two laps behind. Harvick’s road to victory was actually just a walk. 50 laps before the end of the race, Harvick was five seconds ahead. 22 laps before the end of the race, it was again LaJoie who provided the seventh caution phase and thus once again created tension. There were pit stops again. The crews race was won by the Johnson team with a two-tire stop in front of Harvick, Truex, Bowman and Logano.
Stage 3 / Goal: Harvick takes 7th victory and is Regular Season Champion
Johnson won the restart on the top line, but Harvick took the lead back a lap later. After 311 laps, Harvick clinched its seventh win of the season. Truex followed in second place, 3.5 seconds behind, in front of Johnson, Byron, Bowman, Logano, Almirola, Keselowski, Austin Dillon and tenth Custer.
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Regular Season Champion 2020: Kevin Harvick
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Official results come on Monday / Tuesday and / or Thursday / Friday
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