Chase Elliott, despite leading much of the 200th lap in this year’s Daytona 500, was left devastated when Tyler Reddick claimed the victory, becoming the 44th different driver to win NASCAR’s iconic race. Elliott appeared poised to secure his first Harley J. Earl Trophy after taking the lead late in the race when Carson Hocevar and Erik Jones collided in Turn 1 under white-flag conditions.
In the final moments, Riley Herbst’s attempt to block Brad Keselowski caused contact with Elliott’s right rear, providing Reddick with the crucial push to cross the finish line first. The incident forced Elliott into the outside SAFER barrier, ending his race in fourth place.
“When those runs are coming at that high rate of speed and nobody’s lifting, you know, at that point in time,” Elliott told Kelley Crandall. “So you know, I just felt like I was going to get crashed if I had tried to throw another move on him. I felt like it the best play for me was to try and rerack and get one last shove to the line.”
“But it was the 35 (Herbst) and he wasn’t going to push me,” Elliott added. “So, then he winds up crashing himself not pushing me, which then in turn crashed me anyway. So maybe I should have just turned left.”
Understanding Elliott’s Perspective on the Chaotic Finish
In an intense and unpredictable closing lap at the Daytona 500, Elliott found himself stuck in a difficult position trying to protect the lead. He believed that making a more aggressive move risked a wreck given the tightly packed field and high speed. Instead, Elliott chose to “rerack” for one last push, which unfortunately did not come as hoped due to Herbst’s unexpected crash.
This outcome marked Elliott’s best finish at the Daytona 500 since placing second in 2021. Despite the frustration, Elliott expressed a pragmatic attitude toward his approach in the race’s final moments.
“I felt like you had to pick your battles,” Elliott said in a post-race statement. “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.”
“Appreciate all the effort. …thought we had a good Speedweeks down here. Really sucks to be that close and come off Turn 4 with the lead and not finish it off,” he added.
Chase Elliott’s Career Context and Upcoming Challenges
Chase Elliott, hailing from Dawsonville, is in his 11th season with Hendrick Motorsports. Over his career, he has secured 21 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, including an All-Star race win in 2020. While his teammate William Byron holds the distinction of being the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to have won the Daytona 500, Elliott continues to chase his maiden victory in the crown jewel event.
The next race on Elliott’s calendar is the Autotrader 400 scheduled at EchoPark Speedway on February 22. This 260-lap event will be broadcast on FOX beginning at 3 p.m. ET, with live radio coverage available on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Fans eagerly await to see how Elliott responds after the gut-wrenching finish in the season opener.
Reactions from Key Figures Following the Daytona 500
In addition to Elliott’s reflections, other notable drivers and personalities shared their thoughts on the last-lap chaos. Michael Jordan, owner of Tyler Reddick’s 23XI Racing team, celebrated Reddick’s unexpected win and praised Riley Herbst’s part in the dramatic finish. Conversely, Brad Keselowski sharply criticized Herbst’s last-moment decision, calling it one of the “dumbest” moves he had seen in recent races, underscoring the tension surrounding the incident.
