Chase Elliott’s triumph at the NASCAR Atlanta race marked a significant revival for Hendrick Motorsports, capturing their first win since May when Kyle Larson prevailed at Kansas. Despite his teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron finishing 17th and 37th respectively, Alex Bowman played a vital role in enabling Elliott’s race-winning maneuver on the final lap by pushing him past Brad Keselowski.
Bowman executed the pivotal move by pushing Elliott’s car past Keselowski’s No. 6 entry entering Turn 1. Once in front, Elliott maintained control and secured the win in a fiercely competitive finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bowman finished just behind Keselowski in third place.
Bowman Reflects on His Decision and Race Strategy
When asked about choosing to assist Elliott instead of making a winning attempt himself, Bowman acknowledged the limited options available to him. He explained,
“I didn’t really have a choice there on the last lap of what I was going to do. There wasn’t an opportunity for me to win the race, unfortunately… The way the race would shuffle the leader out every handful of laps, I just led too early there.”
He also recognized the strength of his vehicle, suggesting that with additional laps, he might have returned to the lead. Bowman admitted,
“Yeah, we had a really, really good car. And certainly, a couple more laps, we would have probably shuffled back to the lead at some point. Just got the timing wrong and didn’t maintain control of the race.”
Responding directly to Brad Keselowski’s comments about collaborating with Elliott late in the event, Bowman responded,
“I mean, I think Brad worked really well with his teammates too at times,”
expressing no regret for his role as a pusher in the closing laps. Though Bowman noted he wished he could have finished a few positions higher, he emphasized that the outcome was heavily influenced by timing and race dynamics rather than team instructions to either advance or hold position.
Mixed Outcomes for Hendrick Motorsports at Atlanta
Elliott’s car featured a special design created by Rhealynn Mills, an 11-year-old pediatric cancer patient associated with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, through the DESI9N TO DRIVE program. During Stage 2, Elliott managed to avoid a large wreck while leading the field, narrowly escaping what could have been disaster.
In contrast, his Hendrick teammates had divergent fortunes. Bowman sustained only minor damage and remained competitive, Larson overcame small setbacks to continue, but Byron was caught in the incident and was forced to retire early, finishing 37th despite earning seven stage points.
Late-Race Lead Changes Heighten Tension in Final Laps
As the race neared its conclusion, the front-running positions swapped frequently between Elliott, Keselowski, and Tyler Reddick. With five laps remaining, Keselowski was in front, trailed by Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bowman, and Elliott in fifth place.
On Lap 258, Elliott launched a decisive attack by slipping below Bowman and Stenhouse down the backstretch and moving alongside Reddick. He completed the pass in Turn 2 of the next lap, setting his sights on the lead position where Bowman’s push later made the difference.
Significance of the Atlanta Victory for Hendrick Motorsports
Chase Elliott’s win at Atlanta not only brought a hard-fought victory to Hendrick Motorsports but also highlighted the importance of teamwork and split-second strategy in NASCAR racing. Alex Bowman’s self-awareness about his timing and his role as a pusher reveal the complexities drivers face when balancing individual ambitions with team priorities during intense competition.
This victory ends a dry spell for the Hendrick team and may provide momentum and confidence as the season progresses, especially given Elliott’s ability to capitalize under pressure with crucial support from his teammates.
