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Chase Elliott had one of his most dominant outings last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, but a crucial late-race pit stop opened the door for Denny Hamlin's win. Elliott reflected on the missed opportunity and admitted 'it's really easy' to second-guess decisions in hindsight but hoped that Hendrick Motorsports would take it as a learning moment.
With 63 laps to go, while all drivers had completed their final green flag pit stops, Elliott was brought in for two tires during a rain-delayed caution. Elliott had led 238 laps at this point, taken a stage win, and was about to inherit the lead once again.
Meanwhile, Hamilin stayed out and took the top spot. He essentially held the position till the checkered flag, even though his rivals were on much fresher tires. Elliott's only consolation was a sixth-place finish in a race where he began on pole.
On Friday, July 25, the HMS driver spoke to NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck and had this to say about his misgivings.
"When you have all the answers to the test after it's over, it's really easy to sit back and look at what was the right thing to do and what wasn't." "Regardless, it is a tough spot to be in, and it went the way it went. We can't change it, but we can certainly take some lessons from the day and from the weekend and try to apply that forward to put ourselves in positions like that more often," Chase Elliott added.I asked @chaseelliott about the Dover pit call last week that may have cost them a chance at the win.
Here are his thoughts about it: "Easy to look back on that and realize you made a mistake. But look, (if) we don't come down pit road and the 11 comes down pit road, then everybody's fussing about that because the rest of them were going to pit.
We decided to pit and the 11 stayed out and he happened to win the race. And of course, that's going to get the same reaction.
So the point I'm trying to make is when you have all the answers to the test after it's over, it's really easy to sit back and look at what was the right thing to do and what wasn't.
Denny did a really good job holding off the tires behind (him). Does he stay out if we stay out as well, knowing that (new) tires was going to line up right behind us on the second row and he didn't have control of the restart? I don't think they do. But maybe they do.
Regardless, it is a tough spot to be in, and it went the way it went. We can't change it, but we can certainly take some lessons from from the day and from the weekend and try to apply that forward to put ourselves in positions like that more often."
Chase Elliott is currently the points leader due to his consistent finishes all season long. As he heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400, the Georgia native looks to redeem himself and possibly match his father's legacy.
Fans can watch the 16-lap event on TNT Sports at 2 PM ET, or listen to radio updates via SiriusXM, Channel 90.
"I'll stand by that": Chase Elliott shares his stance on NASCAR's championship format
Chase Elliott shared his take on NASCAR's ongoing debate with the championship format. He admitted that while a driver can 'run away' with the title under the classic points system, such dominance should be a cause for celebration, not concern.
"The system would be just fine if you just had a full season. And if somebody runs away with it, so what? Let's celebrate the fact that somebody ran away with it, that somebody was just that good. Motorsports does not have to be like everybody else to be successful. And I'll stand by that til I get done," Chase Elliott said via aforementioned source.
Jeff Gluck's X post on his interview with Chase Elliott. Source - @X/jeff_gluckThe hot topic began when Mark Martin, a vocal critic of the playoff system, pushed back on Larry McReynolds's support of the chase.
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Edited by Tushhita Barua
English (US)