Elliott Strong at Watkins Glen, Finishes 32nd after Issue in Final Stage

• Chase Elliott qualified 15th for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International Speedway and improved to 13th early in the race before ending stage one in 23rd after the team made a strategy call to pit prior to the end of the stage. Elliott followed that up with a seventh-place finish in stage two. 

• During the final stage of the race, Elliott was preparing to make a scheduled green-flag pit stop when his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 came to a stop on the track after running out of fuel, bringing out the caution.

• Elliott was eventually pushed to pit road, losing a lap in the process. The NAPA Chevrolet was the first car one lap down in the closing laps, but the team never got the caution it needed. Elliott was scored with a 32nd-place finish.

• The No. 9 team continues to hold the final spot in the provisional playoff field for the owner’s championship with one race remaining in the regular season.

Chase Elliott started Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International from the 15th position and worked his way to 13th by the conclusion of lap five. As part of the team’s strategy, crew chief Alan Gustafson called Elliott to pit road at lap 17 for four fresh tires and fuel. The 2020 Cup Series champion ended stage one in the 23rd position. As the field cycled through pit stops, Elliott found himself inside the top 10 by lap 23 and continued his climb as the run went on. When the green-and-white checkered flag waved to end the second stage, the 27-year-old driver was in the seventh position.

The 90-lap race continued to go caution-free into the final stage. Elliott dropped back to the eighth position on lap 42, and he reported to his team shortly after that the rear tires on the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 were “cooked.” As the run continued, he slipped to ninth and remained out on the track as green flag pit stops got underway on lap 53. Elliott was set to come to pit road just a couple laps later, but before he could make his way to the pit lane, his NAPA Chevrolet ran out of fuel and slowed to a stop on the track. Elliott’s stationary car brought out the caution and was pushed to pit road, going a lap down in the process. After Elliott pitted for four tires and fuel, Gustafson called him back down pit road to top off the tank. The driver of the No. 9 restarted from the 35th position on lap 60 and battled his way to 33rd just two laps later, putting himself in position to receive the free pass should the caution come out. Unfortunately, the remainder of the race went caution-free, and Elliott was ultimately scored with a 32nd-place finish.

Elliott now sits 21st in the driver points standings with one race remaining in the regular season and is in a must-win situation to secure a spot in the postseason. However, the No. 9 team currently holds the final spot in the provisional playoff field for the owner’s championship.

Start / Finish: 15 / 32
Points Standing / Total: 21st / 489 pts.

Next Race: Saturday, August 26, Daytona International Speedway
How to Watch or Listen: 7:00 p.m. on NBC, MRN or SiriusXM

NAPA: @NAPARacing
Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott
Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick
No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team