Elliott Triumphs in Texas
Chase Elliott clinched an exhilarating double-overtime win at the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, ending a much-talked-about slump and marking his first victory in 42 starts since the 2022 season.
Elliott has often joked that when leading late in a race, he braces for the inevitable caution that will cause him to restart and lose any hard-fought, comfortable lead. And this win was no different, except that it meant multiple restarts for multiple caution flags, to the point where crew chief Alan Gufstason warned Elliott on the radio that he only had enough fuel for one more green-white-checker. Piloting the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Elliott navigated through three late-race restarts — including two in overtime — to seize his inaugural NASCAR Cup Series triumph on the 1.5-mile Texas high banks, and his first trophy since a playoff conquest at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2022.
“Oh man, it couldn’t feel any better,” he said when he emerged from the car smiling, and then did a Polish victory lap around the track in homage to the late series champion Alan Kulwicki, who, at one time, had also been sponsored by Hooters.
RFK Racing co-owner/driver Brad Keselowski originally scored third but challenged NASCAR’s unofficial results because he was ahead of William Byron at the time of the caution. Kez’s instincts were correct, and he received an updated score of second place. This was a season-best for the driver of the #6 in a race that lasted more than three and a half hours and had a track record of 16 caution periods. On a restart with two laps to go in regulation time, Elliott and Hamlin were battling side-by-side for the lead when Hamlin got loose and spun up the track and into the wall, putting the race into a two-lap overtime shootout. On the restart, Trackhouse’s Ross Chastain started alongside Elliott but couldn’t pass him before another caution waved for Harrison Burton. Kaz Grala was also involved. This forced yet another restart.
During that crucial restart, Elliott surged past Chastain and claimed the lead as the white flag waved. However, as Chastain maintained his position, Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate William Byron made contact from behind and spun Chastain into the wall. As a result, Chastain suffered a 32nd-place finish, while Hamlin, who had led for 37 laps, ultimately landed 30th.
Byron, who boasts three wins already this season, secured third place, with 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Chastain’s Trackhouse teammate Daniel Suárez trailing closely behind.
Varied pit strategies and numerous pit-road mishaps intensified the late-race surge toward the checkered flag.
With 60 laps remaining, Reddick claimed the largest lead of the race but suffered a sluggish pit stop and issues with the left rear tire, and ultimately finished fifth.
Similarly, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr., who had previously led the championship standings, had to make two stops during the final pit cycle to rectify a loose wheel. Despite these challenges, he managed to salvage a 14th-place finish. The day’s frontrunner, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, also faced adversity. Beginning the race from the pole position for the third consecutive week, Larson led an impressive 77 laps early on, only to suffer the misfortune of a right-rear tire detachment during an early caution period.
Larson was penalized two laps for the incident, and he subsequently spent much of the race trying to regain lost ground. By the conclusion of Stage 2, he had managed to reclaim his position on the lead lap and was making strides forward when he was ensnared in an accident with just eight laps remaining. Ultimately, Larson crossed the finish line in 21st place but maintains a 17-point advantage over Truex in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings.
SHR’s Chase Briscoe secured a notable sixth-place finish, while RCR’s Austin Dillon delivered his strongest performance of the season with a seventh-place result. Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing, Kyle Busch of RCR, and Spire Motorsports rookie Carson Hocevar completed the top 10.
Seven-time Cup champion and Hall-of-Famer Jimmie Johnson made his return to action on Sunday but experienced a spin at Lap 50, prompting the first caution period of the race. Approximately 50 laps later, Christopher Bell lost control of his No. 20 Toyota, slamming hard into the outside wall. Further back, Alex Bowman and John Hunter Nemechek collided as Bowman attempted to maneuver to avoid Bell’s incident.
During a restart on Lap 142, Ross Chastain and Michael McDowell occupied the front row, engaging in a side-by-side battle until Turn 4. However, McDowell’s race came to an abrupt end as his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford veered loose through the bumps in Turn 4, crashing heavily into the retaining barrier, thus concluding McDowell’s day prematurely.
The NASCAR Cup Series shifts its focus to super speedway racing for next Sunday’s GEICO 500 at the renowned Talladega Superspeedway (3 p.m. ET on FOX), with Kyle Busch defending his title as the reigning race winner.
