Denny Hamlin collects his sixth win of the season at the Monster Mile

After the NASCAR Xfinity Series race from the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway, it was the NASCAR Cup Series turn to start their doubleheader race beginning Saturday afternoon with Race One of the Drydene 311. Also returning was the “Choose Cone Rule” as the marker was placed just passed the start/finish line. Chase Elliott won the pole by a metric qualifying system, and next to him was Denny Hamlin. Four drivers were starting the race at the back of the field Brennan Poole (inspection failure), Joey Gase (unapproved adjustment), Daniel Suarez (unapproved adjustment), and Garrett Smithley (impound procedure infraction). Smithley also had to do a pass-through penalty when the race started.

Let's double up at Dover Downs! The #Drydene311 is green at the @MonsterMile! 📺: NBCSN 📱: https://t.co/BHXvTwrLoC pic.twitter.com/E9Z9S4O0x2 — NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 22, 2020

On the seventh lap of the race, Erik Jones hit Kurt Busch off of turn two, sending him into the inside wall to bring out the first caution of the race as Busch’s day was done. Jones’s car had quarter panel damage. During the caution, Chris Buescher, Bubba Wallace, and three others came to pit road.

Contact ends @KurtBusch's day early! The monster claims one quick 👀. pic.twitter.com/VOs8rli5Ol — NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 22, 2020

Elliott would lead the field back to green on lap 12. Elliott would lead all fourteen laps as when the competition caution came out at on lap 26. During the caution, most of the leaders pitted while Austin Dillon, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, and five others stayed out. Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Aric Almirola only took two tires while everyone else took four tires. Kevin Harvick had a loose lug nut on the right rear and had to pit again. Austin Dillon would choose the outside lane as the race got back underway at lap 32.

On lap 59, Denny Hamlin passed Austin Dillon for the lead. Hamlin had a 3.850 second lead on Dillon when he won stage one. Brennan Poole would get the free pass. During the caution, Denny Hamlin would lead the field down to pit road and would win the race off of pit road. Matt Kenseth was caught speeding and had to go to the rear of the field. Hamlin would choose the outside lane as well as Martin Truex Jr. while Clint Bowyer was the first car to choose the inside lane improving his position from third to second to start stage two on lap 78.

THREE positions in one turn for @KevinHarvick 😱.#Drydene311 pic.twitter.com/5sOeSk7SNh — NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 22, 2020

On lap 94, Jimmie Johnson made his way into the top five passing Austin Dillon. By lap 125, William Byron, who is trying to get into the playoffs, would lose a lap to Denny Hamlin. Scheduled green flag stops began on lap 135 with Martin Truex Jr., who was 3.857 seconds behind Hamlin when he pitted. Hamlin would pit a couple of laps later as Brad Keselowski was the new leader. Hamlin would resume the lead on lap 161, passing William Byron, who was hoping for a caution. Hamlin would go on to sweep the stage, taking stage two. Ryan Blaney would get the free pass.

Whoa.@JimmieJohnson | @MonsterMile pic.twitter.com/JBGMg7mTwA — NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 22, 2020

During the caution, Hamlin led the field down to pit road as all the leaders pitted for four tires. Martin Truex Jr. won the race off of pit road. Austin Dillon was caught speeding and had to restart at the tail end of the lead lap. Truex Jr. chose the outside lane while Kyle Busch was the first car to go to the inside lane going from third to second as the final stage got underway on lap 193.

The final stage at the @MonsterMile is underway on NBCSN! Stream here: https://t.co/CAYgs2g5vY #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/Z9ofxFMWv4 — NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 22, 2020

On lap 204, Hamlin would get by Brad Keselowski for third making the Gibbs cars in positions one through three. On lap 245, Hamlin would take away the second spot from Kyle Busch. The last green-flag pit cycles began on lap 251 with Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott pitting. Truex Jr. and Hamlin would pit on lap 254. Austin Dillon was the lone car to not pit, but Martin Truex Jr. passed him for the lead before Dillon finally pitted on lap 281. With eight laps to go, Hamlin passed Truex Jr. one more time to win the Drydene 311 by 1.179 seconds over the second-place finisher Martin Truex Jr.

.@dennyhamlin puts the squeeze on the leader and takes over the top spot in the #Drydene311! 📺: NBCSN 📱: https://t.co/BHXvTwrLoC pic.twitter.com/jJkpxKQrfp — NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 22, 2020

🏁 🏁 🏁 🏁 🏁 🏁 RETWEET to congratulate @dennyhamlin on win No. 6 of the year! pic.twitter.com/yiS2SLzK4s — NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 22, 2020

The rest of the top ten finishers were Kyle Busch third, Kevin Harvick fourth, Chase Elliott fifth, Clint Bowyer sixth, Jimmie Johnson seventh, Joey Logano eighth, Brad Keselowski ninth, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tenth. There were fifteen lead changes and four cautions for 21 laps.

Updated playoff point standings are: Kevin Harvick first (6 wins), Denny Hamlin second (6 wins), Brad Keselowski third (3 wins), Chase Elliott fourth (2 wins), Joey Logano fifth (2 wins), Martin Truex Jr. sixth (1 win), Ryan Blaney seventh (1 win), Alex Bowman eighth (1 win), Austin Dillon ninth (1 win), and Cole Custer tenth (1 win) are locked in the playoffs. Currently in the playoffs are Aric Almirola eleventh, Kyle Busch twelfth, Clint Bowyer thirteenth, Kurt Busch fourteenth, Jimmie Johnson fifteenth, and Matt DiBenedetto sixteenth. Outside looking in are William Byron seventeenth, Erik Jones eighteenth, Tyler Reddick nineteenth, and Christopher Bell twentieth. The NASCAR Cup Series will conclude the doubleheader for the Drydene 311 Sunday at 4 pm on NBCSN.

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