The 2019 Drydene 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on May 5, 2019, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. The event was the eleventh race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and marked the 51st iteration of the annual Cup Series race at Dover.
Race details
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Venue | Dover International Speedway, Dover, Delaware |
| Track length | 1 mile (1.6 km) concrete oval |
| Scheduled distance | 400 laps – 400 mi (643.737 km) |
| Actual distance | 400 laps – 400 mi (643.737 km) |
| Date | 5 May 2019 |
| Broadcast | FS1 (television), MRN (radio) |
| Attendance | Approximately 50,000 spectators |
| Title sponsor | Drydene (automotive‑care product brand) |
Qualifying
- Pole position: Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing) – 22.239 seconds (143.868 mph).
- Pole award: Determined by a single‑car, single‑lap qualifying session.
Race summary
- Winner: Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing) – his first victory of the 2019 season.
- Runner‑up: William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports).
- Third place: Kevin Harvick (Stewart‑Haas Racing).
- Most laps led: Kevin Harvick – 191 laps.
- Lead changes: 22 among 7 drivers.
- Cautions: 5 for a total of 30 laps.
- Total race time: 2 hours 51 minutes 6 seconds.
- Average speed: 144.983 mph.
Kyle Larson secured the win after passing Kevin Harvick on the final lap, holding off a late challenge from William Byron. The victory moved Larson up to 9th in the driver standings.
Aftermath and significance
The race contributed points toward the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. Larson’s win was notable as his first Cup victory since returning to full‑time competition in 2018, and it marked the first time a driver from Chip Ganassi Racing won at Dover. The event continued the long‑standing tradition of the "Drydene 400," a name used for Dover’s spring Cup race from 2018 through 2020.
References
- NASCAR official race report, 2019 Drydene 400.
- Dover International Speedway race archives.
- Motor Racing Network (MRN) race broadcast recap.
- FS1 race coverage summary.
