Take 5: Biggest takeaways from Chicagoland 2019

As the sun went down and the lights turned on, the drama skyrocketed in Sunday's Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Scroll through to read five significant takeaways from Alex Bowman's first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series triumph.

Hendrick gains steam: Alex Bowman's maiden Monster Energy Series victory solidified the strongest race of the year for Hendrick Motorsports. Along with Bowman's coincidental 88 laps led, both Jimmie Johnson and William Byron led circuits and stayed around the top 10 throughout the 267-lap race. Johnson's fourth-place finish gives the seven-time champion new life, while Byron's eighth-place continues his recent rise. After early pit-road trouble, Chase Elliott also recovered with an 11th-place result.

On the bubble: Chicagoland's 400-miler offered a different complexion than the norm, which provides an interesting narrative late in the regular season. Clint Bowyer took the biggest hit, dropping down to 16th in the standings and 15 points above Erik Jones on the cutoff line. Strong runs from drivers like Kyle Larson (second) and Jimmie Johnson (fourth) give them a boost of confidence with nine races to go until the postseason starts.



"We, as a team, are really close," Johnson said, who moved up to 14th in the standings after Chicago. "... I think we had another good points day, which doesn’t sound great, but we are making our way up the Playoff grid."

SHR struggles: Still searching for a 2019 triumph, Sunday's race was a challenge for all four competitors in the Stewart-Haas Racing fleet. Kevin Harvick flexed muscle by leading 132 laps, but wall scrapes and tire troubles plagued a shot at victory as the No. 4 team settled for 14th. Clint Bowyer's multiple tire issues led to heavy damage on the No. 14, forcing him to retire after 172 laps. Aric Almirola and Daniel Suarez also experienced rough days, finishing 16th and 24th respectively. Though all are currently above the playoff cutline in the standings, it's puzzling that the SHR banner hasn't graced Victory Lane yet.

Penske tops JGR: In what continues to be a constant back-and-forth between Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske, it was Penske's trio of drivers who navigated the Windy City the best. Hovering around the back half of the top 15 in Stage 1, Joey Logano and the No. 22 crew clawed their way to a third-place result. Brad Keselowski quietly finished fifth, while Ryan Blaney rallied just behind in sixth. When asked whether he was disappointed or thrilled with the placing, Logano was on both sides of the fence.



"Both is the answer," Logano said with a grin. "If you would have asked me after the first stage, I would have taken the third and go home. I guess at the end of the race I was close enough to compete, I say, 'Dang it, I wish we had a little more.' "

Day to forget: It's safe to say Kyle Busch is happy to put Chicagoland behind him. An ill-handling race car hindered Busch's performance from the start. Between clipping the wall in Stage 1, contact with Joey Logano on the backstretch resulting in a cut tire on Lap 169 and a smoky cockpit in the closing laps, Busch's rare off-day forced him to limp the No. 18 Toyota to a 22nd-place finish. Don't anticipate that to slow him down as the season rolls along, though.