Chase Elliott held the lead on the final lap of Sunday’s Daytona 500 but was overtaken by Tyler Reddick, who crossed the start/finish line first despite his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet finishing backward amid sparks and debris. The race ended in a chaotic fashion as the defending champion lost his advantage in the closing moments of the iconic event.
Key Moments That Changed the Outcome
Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports played a crucial role by pushing Reddick to the front after Turn 2, enabling the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion to advance as Carson Hocevar and Erik Jones spun out from the lead pack. Elliott maintained control until the restart zone, when Reddick surged inside to overtake him. In the final seconds, Riley Herbst made contact with Elliott’s right-rear tire, causing Elliott’s car to crash into the outside wall just before the finish line.
Elliott Reflects on the Final Laps and Strategies
“We ended up kind of getting gifted the lead, and the 38 (Zane Smith) and I had got out by ourselves down the back,”
Elliott said after the race.
“He had given me a good shove off into (Turn) 3, and then it was kind of just he and I, and at that point, I just felt momentum shift, like there was going to be another run coming behind us there at some point. Unfortunately, that was accurate, and then at that point in time, you’re just on defense. Man, that’s a really, really tough place to be, truthfully. Obviously, looking back, you can run it through your mind 1,000 times, do you do something different? I feel like if I had thrown a double block on the 45, probably would have just crashed us at that point in time. I felt like you had to pick your battles. I thought maybe if somebody would pick me up on the top, you might have one more run to the line, but unfortunately ended up getting turned around.”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR driver
Gratitude and Disappointment from Elliott and Team
“Appreciate all the effort, everybody at Hendrick Motorsports, NAPA, Chevrolet, thought we had a good Speedweeks down here. This really sucks to be that close and come off Turn 4 with the lead and not finish it off.”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR driver
Looking Ahead to the Season After the Near Win
Although Elliott did not win, his performance marks a promising start to his campaign for a second title under NASCAR’s new Chase championship format. He secured a top-five finish in points and is now preparing for his home race next Sunday at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway, the site of his victory last summer. Broadcast coverage includes FOX, HBO Max, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with the race scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
