Chase Elliott Battles Back to Secure the Championship

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Chase Elliott battles back to win the 2020 Championship title in the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale 500 on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

The NASCAR Cup Series Championship was hosted this past Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. A long, and different season coming to an end with the championship on the line. Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Chase Elliott are the final four in contention. Elliott and Hamlin are still looking for their first championships with Logano and Keselowski already having one under their belts. Phoenix Raceway is a great site to host the championship, and it delivered a great race.

The First Stage

Joey Logano is on the pole to kick off the race. He takes early control with Denny Hamlin also looking to take over early. Logano fends off Hamlin and reaches the competition caution with the lead.

All drivers come down pit road under caution. Joey Logano wins the race off and continues his early dominance in the first stage. With no other drivers looking for the lead, Logano goes on with ease to win the first stage.

The Second Stage

Joey Logano receives the green flag, but Chase Elliott stays with him on the restart. The two battle for the lead for ten laps and Chase Elliott makes the pass for his first lead. Elliott leads for a major chunk of the second stage.

On lap 161, James Davison brings out the caution after hitting the wall. Everyone comes down pit road for the final time in the segment. Kurt Busch wins the race off pit road, but he is quickly passed by Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski.

Elliott and Keselowski race hard in the closing laps of the stage. Brad Keselowski makes a last-lap pass on Chase Elliott to win the second stage.

Chase Elliott Battles Back in the Third Stage

Chase Elliott wins the race off pit road during the stage break. He is fast all day and continues the trend into the final segment of the race. He jumps out to a big lead over the rest of the field. It is going to take a strategy call to beat Chase Elliott.

Joey Logano and his team try to make this call. Logano short pits the rest of the field to be the first one on new tires. Logano comes down to pit road before the rest of the field. This move pays off for him as he cycles into the lead once the rest of the field makes its way onto pit road.

However, Chase Elliott comes off pit road right behind Logano. Logano holds off Elliott for a short bit, but Elliott is too much. Elliott makes the pass for the lead with 40 laps remaining in the race. The rest of the field fades back from Elliott. Chase Elliott cruises to victory in the closing laps to earn his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

NASCAR Cup Series Point Standings

Chase Elliott and his father, Bill Elliott are the third father/son duo to be champions at the Cup Series level. Chase Elliott also had the best season of his career. Five wins, 22 top-ten finishes, and the championship.

With Jimmie Johnson retiring, it seems as if Chase Elliott is the Hendrick Motorsports driver to win multiple championships throughout his career. At just 24-years-old, Elliott has plenty of years to continue his growth. If he can win now, imagine how he will be five, ten, fifteen years down the road. Many more wins and championships to come for the young Chase Elliott.