AVONDALE, Ariz.-- Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team for Hendrick Motorsports went into the NASCAR Mug Collection champion weekend break with self-confidence and ready to repeat as champions. They resisted all probabilities last season after asserting 2 straight must-win races at Martinsville Speedway as well as Phoenix metro Raceway to record Elliott's very first title.This year, nevertheless, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native as well as his crew left the 1-mile track in the desert with stress as well as disappointment.Elliott ended up fifth at the checkered flag after a promising beginning behind his colleague."I seemed like our NAPA Chevy was actually great, as well as I thought our team did a truly good job preparing this week," Elliott stated in
his pit road interview." I was actually proud of our team. I assumed we brought an actually great auto and also did a lot of things that we were wanting it to do today, simply didn't work out." The No. 9 cars and truck grabbed its first cause start Phase 2, passing Stage 1 victor Martin Truex Jr. Elliott then broadened the margin up to a one-second-plus advantage. That initiative was quickly eliminated as Truex Jr. and his No. 19 automobile caught up to Elliott as well as took back the lead position.The 2020 champion finished Phase 2 in 2nd once again, resting best behind Hendrick Motorsports colleague Larson. Points got worse for Elliott adhering to an inadequate get on a reactivate that allowed Denny Hamlin to move in second.But Elliott recovered nicely as well as took back the lead.
He led 4 different times for an overall of 94 of the 312 laps on Sunday.The race officially escaped from the hands of the 25 year-old when his pit team had among the slowest stops of the day at the most awful possible time. All cars and trucks were forced to match road with 29 laps to pursue debris was located consequently 3. The No. 9 group had a stop of more than 13 secs, compeling Elliott right into
4th place as well as the rear of the Championship 4. At the same time, Larson's team had a pit stop of 11.8 seconds, which enabled the No. 5 vehicle to jump from fourth to initially. Larson capitalized front row placement on the reactivate and also led right to the goal."The sequence of the means all that went definitely was unfortunate for us,"Elliott stated."However look, pleased with our team, a lot to build on, and likewise congrats to Kyle as well as Cliff(Daniels, his team principal).
What an outstanding season. Extremely, extremely deserving champs, and also delighted to see Kyle have success. "Elliott later said that the slow-moving pit stop in the direction of completion may have been the difference."You obtain a care with 20 laps to go, it's going to be extremely difficult to diminish as well as pass the man that jumps out front in the reboot,"
Elliott claimed."But yes, proud of our group. Seemed like we had a nice game plan entering the week. Seemed like our vehicle did a lot of the important things we desired it to do. No significant errors, simply needed to be a little much better in those initial few sequences of restarts as well as rest stop there at the end." Elliott finished fourth overall in the playoff standings as well as finished the season with two victories, 15 top-five surfaces and 21 top-10s. Despite showing up just short of winning his second profession championship, the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott enjoys for Larson as well as is determined to returning to the mountaintop following period."When you're a good motorist and a good individual as well as you border on your own with excellent individuals, success is warranted. It's good to see that,"Elliott said. "But we'll be back more powerful following year and attempt to provide a run. "
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