NASCAR at Dover 2022 Results: Chase Elliott Gets 1st Win of Season After Rain Delay

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIMay 2, 2022

DOVER, DELAWARE - MAY 02: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne at Dover Motor Speedway on May 02, 2022 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Chase Elliott won his first race of the NASCAR Cup Series season on Monday after taking down the DuraMAX Drydene 400 at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.

The race initially started Sunday before inclement weather forced its postponement after 78 laps. Proceedings in Dover started back up around noon ET on Monday.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Denny Hamlin won the first stage, and Ryan Blaney took the second stage.

Hamlin led 55 of the first 78 laps and eventually won the first stage, but the wheels literally came off afterward in Stage 2 en route to a 21st-place finish.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
Here's how it happened: <a href="https://t.co/uZNQyH18wt">pic.twitter.com/uZNQyH18wt</a>

Hamlin wasn't the only driver with tire issues, as Kyle Larson also experienced some problems.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
Trouble for Kyle Larson at Dover! Here's what happened: <a href="https://t.co/sJPqPhX7fb">https://t.co/sJPqPhX7fb</a> <a href="https://t.co/insDlazOS3">pic.twitter.com/insDlazOS3</a>

But Hamlin experienced further problems later on when Cody Ware spun out and hit Hamlin as he passed by.

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FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
(another) Tough break for Denny Hamlin. <a href="https://t.co/7R7WahJs9K">https://t.co/7R7WahJs9K</a> <a href="https://t.co/51qovdJry7">pic.twitter.com/51qovdJry7</a>

Blaney ended up taking the second stage:

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
Well, that was fun. Watch as Ryan Blaney holds off a hard-charging Kyle Busch to win Stage 2 at Dover.<br><br>Stream it » <a href="https://t.co/U4a0xtukwL">https://t.co/U4a0xtukwL</a> <a href="https://t.co/rJWmHqRJTb">pic.twitter.com/rJWmHqRJTb</a>

One of the day's themes became prevalent again in the third stage when AJ Allmendinger lost a tire:

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
That's a penalty. <a href="https://t.co/bRtIc1Jb3W">https://t.co/bRtIc1Jb3W</a> <a href="https://t.co/2wAxlya4ud">pic.twitter.com/2wAxlya4ud</a>

Martin Truex Jr. tried to make a move late, but Ross Chastain shut the door.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
Ross Chastain vs. Martin Truex Jr. on the final lap in Dover 👀 <a href="https://t.co/l1Ku30tTfT">pic.twitter.com/l1Ku30tTfT</a>

In the end, it was Elliott who took home his first victory since the Jockey Made in America 250 on Fourth of July at Road America last year.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
RETWEET TO CONGRATULATE CHASE ELLIOTT ON HIS NASCAR CUP SERIES WIN AT DOVER!<a href="https://twitter.com/TeamHendrick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TeamHendrick</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/chaseelliott?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chaseelliott</a> <a href="https://t.co/GL1AYFVmeg">pic.twitter.com/GL1AYFVmeg</a>

He spoke with NASCAR on Fox's Jamie Little post-race:

Jamie Little @JamieLittleTV
"This one means a lot in a lot of different ways."<a href="https://twitter.com/chaseelliott?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chaseelliott</a> picks up his first win of 2022 at Dover! <a href="https://t.co/riPeTwh3FT">pic.twitter.com/riPeTwh3FT</a>

It's a huge victory for Elliott, who was already leading the NASCAR Cup Series points standings by 21 over Blaney in second place entering Dover. Elliott got there despite never having won in 2022 off the strength of seven top-10 finishes.

NASCAR will now head to the Darlington (South Carolina) Raceway for the Goodyear 400 on Sunday afternoon.