Chase Elliott secured a dramatic win at the Hollywood Casino 400 held at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, September 29, marking his second triumph of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Elliott’s victory came during a tense overtime period where a heated on-track incident between Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace unfolded, known widely as the Bubba Wallace Hamlin tangle.
During the final laps, Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace fiercely battled for an automatic berth into the Round of 8. When Hamlin forced Wallace into the wall, Elliott, positioned eighth at the time, seized the opportunity to advance and ultimately claim his first playoff win this year, which automatically secured his place alongside Ryan Blaney of Team Penske into the next playoff round.
Elliott Reflects on Hamlin and Wallace’s Collision and His Strategy
When asked about the late-race clash, Elliott remained cautious in commenting, focusing instead on his own race strategy. He shared,
“Honestly, probably not fair for me to comment, like, I was coming down the back, and yes, I was right behind them. Once I saw they were fixing to ship it in there, my eyes went where I needed to go, so I quit watching them.”
?Chase Elliott, NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Elaborating on his approach through the final moments, Elliott added,
“I just knew I had to paint the white line really precise; it’s a pretty small window…so my eyes went there and I have no idea what happened with them.”
?Chase Elliott, NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Top Finishers and Team Performances at Hollywood Casino 400
Denny Hamlin, falling just short of his 60th Cup win, finished runner-up, followed closely by his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe who secured the third and fourth spots, respectively. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace ended the race in fifth, marking his fifth top-five finish of the 2025 season.
Elliott Credits Tire Management and His Hendrick Motorsports Crew
Chase Elliott’s success was partly attributed to optimal tire strategy by Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott was the lone driver among the top five to finish the race with four fresh tires, which his team changed during the last pit stop with 12 laps remaining.
“Obviously, we still had pretty good tires compared to those guys, but what a crazy finish,”
Elliott said.
“Hope you all enjoyed that. I certainly did. Really proud of our team.”
?Chase Elliott, NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Starting from fourth position, Elliott’s calculated push allowed him to capture the 21st victory of his Cup career and his first since winning at Atlanta earlier this year.
Elliott further detailed his race momentum in an interview with NBC Sports, noting,
“Everything worked out perfect for me. Had a great push through (turns) 1 and 2. That kind of all started with (Brad Keselowski). Big run off of 2. Seas kind of parted and just was able to keep my momentum up. That was really it.”
?Chase Elliott, NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Looking Ahead to the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte
With his position locked in the playoffs, Chase Elliott now turns his focus to the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, scheduled for Sunday, October 5. The 109-lap road course race will be broadcast live on USA Network, with exclusive radio coverage provided by PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This upcoming event will be pivotal for drivers competing to advance further in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
“I have no idea what happened with them, I’m sorry” @chaseelliott on his thoughts about what he saw as the bottom lane opened up after the contact between Hamlin and Wallace. pic.twitter.com/PNpOQYXf5v
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) September 29, 2025
