NASCAR results at Chicago: Alex Bowman wins first Monster Energy Cup Series race of career in Camping World 400

Thomas Schlarp

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NASCAR results at Chicago: Alex Bowman wins first Monster Energy Cup Series race of career in Camping World 400 image

Alex Bowman had finished in every position from 2-43 in his Cup Series career. The 26-year-old can now officially add a first-place finish to his resume after winning Sunday's Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Bowman had to battle Kyle Larson in the final laps, in a finish reminiscient of Larson's 2018 runner-up disappointmet on this track. Larson passed Bowman with eight laps remaining, before Bowman's No. 88 pulled back into the lead two laps later. Points leader Joey Logano placed third, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski.

MORE: Watch the Camping World 400 live & on demand with fuboTV (7-day trial)

Kevin Harvick dominated the majority of the race and led a race-high 132 laps while also claiming Stage 2. The No. 4 got loose, however, late in the final stage, sending the driver into the wall, leading to a 14th-place finish. Harvick has yet to win a race this season.

Denny Hamlin won a chaotic Stage 1 under caution that featured at least six cars with rear flat tire issues. Kyle Busch hit the wall early in the stage, causing damage that would ultimately plague his car all race long as he finished outside the top 10 (22nd) for just the second time this season.

The race was delayed for over three hours following a thunderstorm that rolled in after just 11 laps were completed. The Monster Energy Cup Series returns next Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400. 

Sporting News tracked live lap-by-lap updates and highlights from the Camping World 400.

NASCAR at Chicago: Live updates, highlights from the Camping World 400

(All times Eastern.)

Caution flags: 5

Lead changes: 23

Lap leaders: Alex Bowman (88), Kevin Harvick (132), Jimmie Johnson (10), Austin Dillon (10), William Byron (9), Kyle Larson (7), Denny Hamlin (5), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2), Ryan Newman (1), Erik Jones (1), Daniel Suarez (1), Michael McDowell (1)

Camping World 400: 2019 winner, top 20 order of finish

Finish Driver Team (Car No.) Laps led
1. Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports (88) 88
2. Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing (42) 7
3. Joey Logano Team Penske (22)
4. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports (48) 10
5. Brad Keselowski Team Penske (2)
6. Ryan Blaney Team Penske (12) 1
7. Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing (20) 1
8. William Byron Hendrick Motorsports (24) 9
9. Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing (19)
10. Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing (3) 10
11. Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports (9)
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing (17) 2
13. Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing (1)
14. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas (4) 132
15. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing (11) 5
16. Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas (10)
17. Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing (6) 1
18. Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing (37)
19. Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing (8)
20. Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports (34) 1

9:14 p.m.: Alex Bowman holds on to win his first career Cup Series race!

9:11 p.m.: Contact, and Bowman retakes the lead.

9:10 p.m.: Larson passes Bowman for the lead with seven to go!

9:06 p.m.: Bowman's lead is under one second now as Larson is right on his tail with 12 laps left. There are a ton of lap cars ahead.

9:03 p.m.: Bowman loses a lot of time as he struggles to lap Paul Menard. The lead is now under 1.5 seconds.

9:00 p.m.: Good battle for second as Logano is closing on Larson.

8:57 p.m.: A peak into Kyle Busch's car, and it is filled with smoke.

8:52 p.m.: Back through the pit cycle, and Alex Bowman has the lead.

8:50 p.m.: The top-five drivers have now all pitted with 45 laps remaining.

8:44 p.m.: 52 laps left and drivers begin strategizing when to pit. Chicagoland's pit road has been very challenging over the past few years.

8:38 p.m.: Bowman now has the largest lead of the day as he expands his lead to over two seconds ahead of Jimmie Johnson.

8:34 p.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is fighting to get into the top five for the first time today.

8:31 p.m.: Clint Bowyer's day is over as he heads to the garage.

8:26 p.m.: Green flag with 90 laps left.

8:20 p.m.: Yellow caution is out on Lap 172 as Kevin Harvick gets into the wall. Alex Bowman is the new leader,

8:17 p.m.: Kyle Busch is already headed to pit road. Joey Logano hit him as No. 22 made an agressive pass.

8:16 p.m.: William Byron and Jimmie Johnson make contact on the restart. Kyle Larson takes the lead.

8:15 p.m.: Yikes. Chase Elliott's crew had some issues on pit road. The No. 9 car drops 18 spots to 20th on the restart.

Stage 2 winner: Kevin Harvick

8:06 p.m.: Harvick holds off Elliott to claim Stage 2. Followed by Elliott, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and Johnson.

8:01 p.m.: Ten laps to go in Stage 2. Harvick is still the leader, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott.

7:54 p.m.: Harvick is reporting a tire problem. Daniel Suarez is heading to pit road with 24 laps left in Stage 2 with a smoking car.

7:48 p.m.: Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney swap some paint twice on Lap 125.

7:45 p.m.: Harvick is back out in the lead.

7:38 p.m.: Hamlin will restart at the back due to an uncontrolled tire. Byron won the race off pit road.

7:34 p.m.: Caution flag out on Lap 104 for fluid on the track from Quin Houff.

7:30 p.m.: Byron takes the lead from Harvick

7:28 p.m.: William Byron is second. He started at the back of the field today after having to change his engine.

7:23 p.m.: Harvick and Larson are 1-2 on the restart.

Stage 1 winner: Denny Hamlin

7:16 p.m.: Denny Hamlin wins Stage 1 with Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell rounding out the top three.

7:13 p.m.: Caution comes out with two laps left in Stage 1 as Clint Bowyer goes spinning through the infield. Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney both have flat tires.

7:11 p.m.: The leaders pit with five laps to go. Erik Jones takes the lead before quickly pitting.

7:10 p.m.: Kyle Larson is the new leader with Martin Truex Jr. close behind.

7:09 p.m.: Harvick is forced to pit from first place with seven laps left in Stage 1 due to a flat tire.

7:05 p.m.: Bubba Wallace is penalized for having moving parts roll away from his pit box.

7:03 p.m.: Johnson pits and takes right-side-only tires.

7:00 p.m.: Bad news for Chase Elliot as he is forced to pit with a flat tire.

6:55 p.m.: Drivers are beginning to chatter about pitting for tires.

6:45 p.m.: Kyle Busch made some pretty heavy contact with the wall, but we stay green.

6:43 p.m.: Didn't take too long for Kevin Harvick to take the lead from Johnson.

6:40 p.m.: Back to racing! Green flag.

6:32 p.m.: Engines fired.

6:21 p.m.: Drivers are being called to their cars.

6:05 p.m.: It is super windy with 30+ MPH winds, but the track is looking pretty dry.

5:25 p.m.: NASCAR has given the "all clear" regarding lightning, but drivers may not return yet to their cars.

4:45 p.m.: Air Titans have taken to the track!

4:00 p.m.: It's going to be a while, folks.

3:20 p.m.: Red flag, and fans have been told to take shelter.

3:12 p.m.: The drivers have been brought down pit road with 12 laps complete. You can see lightning in the distance.

3:11 p.m.: Caution flag is out on Lap 11 due to impending weather.

3:08 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson and Austin Dillon are battling back and forth for the lead.

3:05 p.m.: Green flag drops! Skies are pretty gray.

3:00 p.m.: A quick breakdown of today's race:

2:45 p.m.: How's the forecast? Not good...

Thomas Schlarp