Martin Truex Jr. has a chance to add yet another victory to his 2021 Cup Series campaign at the Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
Truex, the only multi-race winner this season (at Phoenix, Martinsville and Darlington), is the clear favorite ahead of the Drydene 400. The three-time winner at Dover is second in the Cup Series standings behind only Denny Hamlin. He also has top-two finishes in each of his last four races at the Monster Mile. Add to that his dominant race in Darlington last week — he led 248 of 293 laps — and it makes sense that he’s the betting favorite (7-2) at the 400-lap, 400-mile race.
Kyle Larson, who challenged Truex late in the Goodyear 400 and finished as the race’s runner-up, is probably his top challenger on Sunday; he has NASCAR’s highest average all-time finish at Dover, at 7.4. Of course, there’s also Hamlin, who despite having no wins this season has an absurd nine top-five finishes to give him the lead in the standings.
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Sporting News is tracking live updates and highlights from the Drydene 400 at Dover International Raceway. Follow along below.
NASCAR at Dover live updates, highlights from Drydene 400
All times Eastern
4 p.m.: Is that good? (Remember, Elliott started the race in the back of the lineup).
3:55 p.m.: Checking in now that we’re over halfway through the 400-lap race and … yep, Larson is still in the lead.
3:36 p.m.: Caution 3 (Lap 171). Berry hit the wall, knocking him well off pace; because of where he was on in relation to everyone else on the track, he couldn’t get inside into to pit row without drawing the yellow flag.
3:28 p.m.: Briscoe’s back in pit row; looks like his car is off pace due to the damage he sustained in a crash just before the end of Stage 1.
3:22 p.m.: I’m not entirely certain that’s not Kyle Busch.
3:20 p.m.: Berry and James Davison, down four and six laps, respectively, were both hit for speeding penalties in pit row.
3:09 p.m.: Larson was absolutely dominant in Stage 1, with an 11.3-second lead over Hamlin at the time the caution dropped. Here’s the top 10 racers for the the stage:
Kyle Larson ended up winning Stage 1 by 11.3 seconds after Harvick went from second to fifth on the last two laps and Chase Briscoe hit the wall.
Top 10:
1. Larson
2. Hamlin
3. Blaney
4. Elliott
5. Harvick
6. Byron
7. Logano
8. Bowman
9. Buescher
10. Keselowski— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 16, 2021
3:07 p.m: Caution 2 (Lap 119). Looks like Chase Briscoe blew his tire out and hit the wall trying to stay in front of Larson (and on the lead lap). That’s going to cost him under caution. With that, Stage 1 is concluded under caution.
2:57 p.m.: Yeah, about Kyle Busch … those engine issues aren’t going away. He’s two laps off the lead with 25 laps left in the stage.
2:51 p.m.: Meanwhile, Larson continues his run of dominance with a comfortable lead 80 laps into the Drydene 400.
2:48 p.m.: Tough break for Corey LaJoie, who has to pit under green with a flat right-front tire. He’s three laps off the lead.
2:46 p.m.: Truex appears to have nose damage, affecting his ability to turn since it was hitting the track. That problem’s only going to be exacerbated with climbing car temperatures.
2:36 p.m.: Another note: Kyle Busch manages to avoid getting lapped on caution, despite his engine issues.
2:35 p.m.: Truex Jr. comes out of the caution in 12th place after a lug nut fell out and interfered with a car jack, causing him a slow pit. Incredible.
2:31 p.m.: Larson gained a position on Byron to take the lead out of the competition caution. Harvick remains at the No. 3 position coming out of the caution.
2:30 p.m.: Uh-oh.
2:29 p.m.: Caution 1 (Competition, Lap 35)
2:25 p.m.: Lots of movement at the top of the lineup while Fox Sports 1 was on a commercial break; Truex Jr. fell from first to fourth behind William Byron (first), Larson (second) and Kevin Harvick (third). He’s roughly 5 seconds off the lead.
2:19 p.m.: Elliott has moved up 12 positions from 36, 11 laps into Stage 1.
2:15 p.m.: And there they go!
2:12 p.m.: Also of note: Josh Berry will make his Cup Series debut in the 77 car as a last-minute replacement for Justin Haley (who can’t race due to NASCAR’S COVID-19 protocols).
2:11 p.m.: Ryan Newman will join Chase Elliott (two failed pre-race inspections) at the back of the lineup due to unapproved adjustments:
UPDATE: The No. 6 car will start at the rear of the field today due to unapproved adjustments.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 16, 2021
2:02 p.m.: Some important race notes at Dover:
On FS1: Cup engines just fired here at Dover. Competition caution Lap 35. Stages 120-120-160 (400 laps, 400 miles). 9 sets tires. Fuel: 88-97 laps. To the rear: Elliott (2x tech failure), Berry (driver change-77). NWS: Temps 70s, 20% chance rain. @NASCARONFOX
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 16, 2021
2 p.m.: The engines are revved at Dover. Green flag incoming.
1:30 p.m.: Things are getting heated in the Fox studio over barbecue.
NASCAR lineup at Dover
Here is the complete starting lineup for the Drydene 400 without qualifying:
Start pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
1 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
2 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
3 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
4 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
5 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
6 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
7 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
8 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
9 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Racing |
10 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
11 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
12 | Ryan Newman | 6 | Roush Fenway Racing |
13 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
14 | Brad Keselowski | 2 | Team Penske |
15 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
16 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
17 | Matt DiBenedetto | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
18 | Ross Chastain | 42 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
19 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
20 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
21 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
22 | Erik Jones | 43 | Richard Petty Motorsports |
23 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing Team |
24 | Ryan Preece | 37 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
25 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
26 | Anthony Alfredo | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
27 | Kurt Busch | 1 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
28 | Josh Berry | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
29 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
30 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
31 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
32 | James Davison | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
33 | Cody Ware | 51 | Petty Ware Racing |
34 | Quin Houff | 00 | StarCom Racing |
35 | Garrett Smithley | 53 | Rick Ware Racing |
36 | Josh Bilicki | 52 | Rick Ware Racing |
37 | Chase Elliott* | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
*Elliott, who would have started eighth in the lineup, will start at the back for failing two pre-race inspections.