Toyota 400: Elliott Takes Last-Lap Victory Over Keselowski
In a thrilling finale to Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race, Chase Elliott edged out Brad Keselowski for the victory in a dramatic last-lap showdown. Keselowski, who led at the white flag, succumbed to a powerful push from teammate Alex Bowman, allowing Elliott to surge ahead entering Turn 1.
Keselowski reflected on the pivotal moment, stating, "The [No.] 48 got behind the [No.] 9 and didn’t take his run. He used his run to push the [No.] 9 and it accelerated beyond what I could block." This strategic move left Keselowski with limited options; a block could have led to a crash rather than keeping him in contention.
Despite finishing second, Keselowski demonstrated strong performance, leading 46 laps—second only to Joey Logano, who dominated the early stages of the race with 51 laps led before being sidelined by a multi-car crash on lap 70.
The stakes are high for Keselowski, who is in a must-win situation as the regular season approaches its conclusion. "Every week you don’t win is one that got away," he noted. With only eight races remaining before the postseason, Keselowski must capitalize on every opportunity.
In summation, Elliott’s victory marked an important strategic win, while Keselowski continues to seek a breakthrough performance to secure his place in the playoffs.
