NASCAR Chase Elliott

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Rookie Sensation Elliott Needs Win at Talladega

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News
Photo - Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Photo – Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Positioned last on the Chase Grid, a hefty 25 points below the cutoff line in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Chase Elliott needs a win in the worst way.

The problem: He’s never visited Victory Lane in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

To advance in his quest for the championship, Elliott virtually must earn his first win in Sunday’s Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway at 2 pm  ET on NBCSN. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year frontrunner finished fifth from the pole at the 2.66-mile behemoth in his lone start there in May. Although Elliott hasn’t won a race, he’s shown he’s a contender every week and had near misses in both Michigan races and at Pocono in June. Continue reading →

Elliott has his Marching Orders for Talladega

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News
Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images
Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

After disastrous results in the first two races of the Chase’s Round of 12, Chase Elliott will be on a win-or-bust mission next Sunday at Talladega.

It’s not that Elliott has run poorly. At Charlotte, he led 103 laps before being swept up in a late wreck not of his making.

In Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, he passed eventual race winner Kevin Harvick for the lead on lap 169, only to see his winning chances disintegrate six laps later when he returned to pit road for an unscheduled stop after a tire rub flattened his left rear. Continue reading →

2016 Sprint Cup Series Round of 8 Clinch Scenarios — Talladega

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Track News

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Clinching for Talladega

Note: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick have already clinched a spot in the Round of 8. With only one race remaining in this round, a new winner would be a win by Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski or Chase Elliott. A win by any other driver would be considered a repeat winner for the clinching requirements (so, Johnson/Harvick, or a non-Chase driver, or a driver ahead of Logano in points).

Matt Kenseth (0 Wins, 3074 Points) – Would clinch on points with 13 Points (28th and no laps led, 29th and led at least one lap, 30th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner,  would clinch on points with 11 Points (30th and no laps led, 31st and led at least one lap, 32nd and led most laps). With a win,  would clinch a next round spot on wins. Continue reading →

Problems at Kansas Put Elliott in Precarious Position Heading to Talladega

Brian NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Track News
Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, talks with a crew member in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images
Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, talks with a crew member in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

In the first race of the Round of 12 last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott led 103 laps before a wreck on lap 258 ended his day and put the rookie driver three points behind the final transfer spot to the Round of 8 heading to Kansas Speedway.

Elliott qualified 13th for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 and was one of just three Chase drivers that started outside the top-12. Elliott cracked the top-three at lap 121 and passed Kevin Harvick for the lead on lap 169 of the 267-lap race before a left-rear tire issue resulted in an unscheduled pit stop. Elliott would lose a lap and return to the track one lap down in the 24th position.

The Dawsonville, Georgia native would get back on the lead lap under the seventh caution of the race at lap 222 but a second tire issue with 23 laps remaining forced the team to come to pit road for the second unscheduled stop of the afternoon. Continue reading →