Chase Elliott displayed remarkable determination during the recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway. Starting 8th in the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, Elliott aimed for a second victory in a Darlington Xfinity race since his first in 2014. Despite narrowly missing victory on the final lap, Elliott had no regrets.
For Elliott, the race served as essential practice for the Goodyear 400, despite the hurdles he faced in the first stage. He delivered a fierce fight against Brandon Jones, the eventual race winner, even though he wasn’t leading at the start. Christopher Bell, another Cup Series racer, began on the pole for Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200, with Justin Allgaier and Ross Chastain among the front-runners. While they faced challenges through slow pit stops and wrecks, Elliott remained steadfast in the background.
After Stage 1, Elliott had to pit to fix minor damage to the front of his car, dropping his position from 11th to 35th. Yet, the 2020 Cup Series champion is known for his resilience. Within 45 laps, he maneuvered back to the top ten, finishing in 8th at the second stage. Beginning the final segment in 6th place, he advanced to 5th amidst three yellow flags. Following two critical pit stops, Elliott surged to 2nd with 17 laps remaining. Alongside fresh tires, both Elliott and Jones gained advantages over the leaders. However, with the benefit of clean air, Jones broke away to secure his second Darlington victory.
Despite falling short to Jones, Elliott expressed satisfaction post-race. He commented, “I got where I wanted to, and I was just tight. Finally started turning with 2 or 3 to go, but at that point, I was out of time. A crazy day; there was a lot that went on. It was fun, I appreciate them letting me drive.”
The focus for Chase Elliott remained on his true objective: preparing for the upcoming Cup Series race. While acknowledging the car differences, Elliott noted that there were valuable lessons to be drawn from the Xfinity race, emphasizing the importance of gaining experience. “The cars are very different for sure, but I do think there are a couple of small characteristics that hold to be true as the runs go on, late into a run, that you end up struggling with the same thing, kind of. So, I do think there are a few things you can take from it … and I think more than anything it was nice to get some reps.”
However, Chase Elliott’s journey in the Cup Series at Darlington has yet to yield a win despite achieving four top-five finishes. His excellent Xfinity performance on Saturday provided him a confidence boost, though practice and qualifying for the 2025 Goodyear 400 painted a different picture. Elliott, starting 19th, did not fare well alongside teammates Kyle Larson, who starts 19th, and Alex Bowman, who begins 33rd, compared to William Byron who dominated with the pole.
William Byron’s lap of 170.904 mph around the 1.366-mile Darlington oval secured the pole position, marking his second at this challenging track. Reflecting on the preparation, Byron remarked, “Tried to find a decent balance there, worked on it and got better and finished practice pretty strong, so I felt like I had some confidence going into practice.” He remarked on the team’s challenges in strategy, expressing, “It may be tricky strategy-wise, and you can get stuck back there, so [qualifying] matters maybe just a tick more than other places. These cars are really finicky, so hitting the balance and just hitting the lap the way you want it to be can be really difficult.”
While Chase Elliott’s Xfinity pace has not yet fully translated to the Cup Series, the determination he showcased at Darlington could soon bridge the gap. As the race series continues, with strategies and adjustments in play, anticipation builds: can Elliott’s Xfinity success propel him to triumph in the Cup Series?
