Kansas City, Kan. – Chase Elliott in a way stolen Sunday race at Kansas Speedway, where he went from the eighth to the checkered flag during a sprint in extension of two towers to win a place in the third round of the Nascar qualifiers.
It was a wild ending to a race that should probably have been won by Denny Hamlin, who dominated and led 159 laps until a multitude of the last numbers refused his luck in career n ° 60 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
The race had a slew of late warnings – Hamlin fell in advance to a slow stop – which put Bubba Wallace in a position to win the race. A red flag stop for Zane Smith, returning his car, installed the final restart in overtime and Wallace was held firmly in a door battle with Christopher Bell for victory.
Then Hamlin came from nowhere to catch Wallace, who led for the co -ownership team with Michael Jordan, and Wallace scratched the wall as he tried to hold his boss. It was then that Elliott suddenly entered the frame and shattered Hamlin in the door to exceed him for his second victory of the season.
“What a crazy final. I hope you all enjoyed this. I certainly did it,” Nascar’s most popular driver said after collecting the checkered flag.
Elliott joins Ryan Blaney while the two pilots locked themselves up in the third round of the playoffs. The land will be reduced by 12 drivers to eight after next week’s race in Concord, in North Carolina and Elliott said that once he was in a victory position, he did not give up.
“I was not going to lift, so I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was thinking about the end of the day, that was what it was at that time,” said Elliott. “Wherever I found myself, I found myself. At that time, we were all committed. Really cool just to be eighth on the restart and to win in a way on a green and white checkerboard.” Quite neat. “
Hamlin finished second and was clearly discouraged by defeat. The triple winner of Daytona 500 is considered the biggest pilot to never win a cup title and needs victory to lock his place in the next round of the playoffs. He also has a victory for the 60th Cup as a major career goal and is blocked on 59 victories.
He led the last 50 laps and more with his power steering on the Fritz.
“Just super disappointing. I wanted it to hurt. It would have been 60 for me,” said Hamlin. “Obviously, I am really tight with [Wallace]and it has become really tight and we leave [Elliott] earn.
“Dude, I wanted it for my father. I wanted it for everyone. I just wanted it a little too hard.”
Hamlin followed his teammates JGR Bell and Chase Briscoe, who were third and fourth.
Wallace ended fifth and even if the victory would have pushed him more deeply in the playoffs than ever in his career, he was satisfied given the malice of his car earlier in the race. He was not even angry with Hamlin, and he shook his boss’s hand on Pit Road.
“To have even a shot to victory with the way we started … You could have mistaken me. We were not good,” said Wallace. “Two years ago, I would probably say something stupid [about Hamlin]. He’s an idiot for this decision. I don’t care if my boss is or not. But we are going for the victory. I hate that we gave it to Chevrolet there. “”
Elliott, in a chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, was the only non-toyota driver in the top five.
The next step is a elimination elimination race at the Hybrid Oval / Road Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Kyle Larson won a year ago. The field of the playoffs will be cut off from 12 pilots eight after next Sunday race.
The four pilots in danger of elimination of the eliminatory series directed towards this race are Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Reddick and Wallace.
“Obviously, there is only one thing that we can do in Charlotte (Win), and that’s what we will focus on,” said Reddick.
