Chase Elliott demonstrated exceptional speed and control during the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 on Sunday, starting from the pole position and dominating early stages of the race. Elliott’s performance at the Monster Mile appeared to set him up for his second victory of the season, nearly matching his best <a href="https://www.big14news.com/nascar/”>NASCAR win since his 2021 success at Dover, before a late pit stop issue hindered his bid.
Details of Elliott’s Race Dominance and Challenges Encountered
Piloting the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, Elliott took command of the race, conquering multiple obstacles including late cautions and weather interruptions. Despite these challenges and a crucial strategy error near the race’s end, he managed to finish sixth. This effort secured Elliott the lead in the regular-season championship standings, overtaking teammate William Byron, marking the first time since July that he led the field.
During the race, Elliott led 238 laps—the highest total he has achieved at any track outside Martinsville. This was his most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race since the 2021 Martinsville event, where he dominated by leading 289 laps.
The 238 laps led is the most laps @chaseelliott has led at a track other than Martinsville.
It’s his most laps led in a race period since leading 289 at Martinsville II, 2021.
— Dustin Albino (@DustinAlbino) July 21, 2025
Reflecting on the race and his performance, Elliott said to TNT Sports,
Been really proud of the effort all day. Couple of little hiccups here and there, but had a nice recovery to get back to the lead and didn’t want to see that caution. I was hoping I was settling in for the last run of the day, but it’s part of it. It can change really fast.
Pit Lane Issues Cost Elliott the Lead During Second Stage
Elliott’s pace was outstanding through much of the race, leading 171 of the first 184 laps and securing the Stage 1 victory with the No. 9 Chevy. However, his momentum was severely disrupted during a second-stage pit stop when a jack issue caused a delay of about 15 seconds, resulting in the loss of his leading position.
The jack post wasn’t as deep on the jack plate as you typically would like, and just the amount of force we’re applying to the end of those handles, sometimes it’ll pop out of there,
explained TJ Semke, Elliott’s jackman, to NASCAR.com.
That was obviously unfortunate. You never want to be leading the race and make a mistake, regardless of where you’re running, but especially not leading the race.
Despite this significant setback, Elliott showed resilience by recovering and finishing fourth in Stage 2, ultimately crossing the finish line in sixth place.
Implications of Elliott’s Performance and Future Prospects
Chase Elliott’s showing at the Monster Mile on Sunday underscored his competitive form and ability to dominate races under pressure, maintaining his position atop the regular-season points. Although the pit stop error prevented what could have been his best win since 2021, his recovery demonstrated skill and tenacity that will keep him a top contender going forward in the NASCAR Cup Series.
