Chase Elliott Triumphs in Quaker State 400
Echo Park Speedway – Chase Elliott delivered a masterful performance to capture victory in the Quaker State 400 on Saturday night, marking his return to the winner’s circle after a 44-race drought. The native of Dawsonville, Georgia, executed a perfectly timed last-lap pass on Brad Keselowski, edging him by just 0.168 seconds. Teammate Alex Bowman secured third, crossing the line just 0.002 seconds later.
This win not only grants Elliott a place in the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series In-Season Challenge but also represents his 20th career victory and second at Echo Park. Elliott’s success was notably aided by Bowman’s push in the closing laps, staving off Keselowski’s attempt to regain the lead.
"I’ve never in my life… This is unbelievable," Elliott said, visibly emotional. "What a special car… this was a lot of fun." He reflected on the extraordinary nature of the race, stating, "All the cards fell on the right places those last couple laps."
Keselowski, who led 46 laps, expressed disappointment in being outmaneuvered. "The 9 [Elliott] just had the 48 [Bowman] behind him giving him a huge push," he said. "There was nothing I could do to cover that."
Tyler Reddick finished fourth, trailed by Erik Jones. The top ten was rounded out by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Zane Smith, Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher, and Carson Hocevar.
Race Highlights
The event showcased an intense competition with 46 lead changes among 13 drivers. After a rain delay of 14 minutes on lap 36, the action resumed, but not before an early pile-up on lap 57 led by Christopher Bell resulted in a seven-car wreck. Notably, the ensuing chaos on lap 69 escalated into a 16-car pile-up, damaging vehicles of contenders including William Byron and Denny Hamlin, both of whom were eliminated from the In-Season Challenge.
With ten cautions for a total of 68 laps, Joey Logano exhibited strong control, leading for a race-high 51 laps before his car was involved in the lap 69 incident. Austin Cindric won the first stage, while Reddick narrowly defeated Elliott in the second stage by a mere 0.001 seconds.
The next phase of the In-Season Challenge will feature Elliott, Keselowski, Dillon, Ryan Preece, and Noah Gragson among others, as they advance to the second round.
Results Summary
- Chase Elliott
- Brad Keselowski
- Alex Bowman
- Tyler Reddick
- Erik Jones
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Zane Smith
- Ty Dillon
- Chris Buescher
- Carson Hocevar
Next Steps
With Elliott’s win solidifying his position in the Challenge, the next round promises to heighten the stakes as the series nears the playoffs.
