The 400-mile race on the unforgiving concrete track had drivers and teams scrambling to get their cars handling well enough to challenge for the win at the end of the race. There were crashes, tire failures and more to make the outcome of the race uncertain from start to finish. In fact, there were 15 caution periods during the race and 17 lead changes among nine drivers.
Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. appeared to be the cars to beat most of the race. Larson led the most laps with 241 circuits out front while Truex Jr. was the winner of the first two stages of the race.
Larson looked as though he would capture the win until a single car accident on lap 398 sent the race into NASCAR’s overtime of a green-white-checkered finish.
When the green flag was waived to re-start the race in overtime it was Jimmie Johnson taking over the lead from Larson. Johnson raced down the backstretch and past the overtime line as cars were wrecking behind him. The #48 Chevrolet was past the line that signified a clean re-start before the final yellow flag was issued and by NASCAR rule that ended the race.
The win gave Jimmie Johnson his 11th “Miles the Monster” trophy. Even bigger, it moved Johnson into a tie with NASCAR racing legend Cale Yarborough at sixth place on the all-time NASCAR wins list with 83 career wins in NASCAR’s top division. Johnson’s helmet featured a photo of the racing legend as motivation to get the win at Dover. (You can see a picture of the helmet in the photos at the bottom of the page.)
Kyle Larson was relegated to a runner-up finish after leading the most laps with Martin Truex Jr. claiming a third place finish. Ryan Newman and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth places respectively. See the complete race results for the AAA 400 Drive For Autism here.
The top two positions in the point standings remain the same after the race on the “Monster Mile” as Martin Truex Jr. is still the leader with Kyle Larson in second place. Kevin Harvick moves up a spot to third place as Kyle Busch also moves up a spot to fourth place. Brad Keselowski’s early accident in the race not only took him out the race, but also dropped him from third in the point standings to out of the top five. That allows Jamie McMurray to move up to fifth place in the standings. See the complete Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
The teams will go from the “Monster Mile” to the “Tricky Triangle” as NASCAR heads to Pocono Raceway next for the Axalta presents the Pocono 400 Sunday afternoon, June 11th.
By: Buck Stevens
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2017 AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Fans look on during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Pedigree Petcare Toyota, leads the field to turn one after the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Pedigree Petcare Toyota, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, lead the field to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Pedigree Petcare Toyota, leads the field down pit road during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, races during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, takes the checkered and caution flag to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - JUNE 04: A detailed view of the helmet of Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Matt Hazlett/Getty Images)
