AVONDALE, Ariz. – NASCAR’s hottest driver is now a Cup champion, too.
Chase Elliott took the torch from teammate Jimmie Johnson by profitable his first Cup title Sunday, driving from the again of the sphere to victory lane at Phoenix Raceway. The win for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet was the primary since Johnson, who retired after the race, received his seventh and remaining crown in 2016.
“I simply, man, I’m perplexed,” Elliott mentioned. “That is unbelievable. Oh, my gosh. We did it. I imply, we did it. That’s all I’ve obtained to inform you. Unreal.”
Elliott’s automotive failed pre-race inspection and the penalty value him the pole when he was despatched to the rear. However the quiet driver from Georgia raced his means via site visitors within the first stage after which took management of the championship. Elliott led seven occasions for a race-high 153 laps.
Johnson completed fifth – his greatest outcome since August – in his remaining experience in Hendrick’s No. 48 Chevrolet.
“My coronary heart is full,” mentioned Johnson, who’s tied with Corridor of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with seven titles. His 83 victories rank sixth on the profession wins checklist and his stretch of 5 consecutive titles from 2006-2010 is a NASCAR file.
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Elliott, who turns 25 later this month, is the son of Corridor of Famer Invoice Elliott. His father – “Superior Invoice from Dawsonville” Georgia – received the 1988 championship and 16 occasions was voted by the followers NASCAR’s hottest driver.
Chase Elliott grew to become the fan favourite in 2018 after Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired. He’s the primary hottest driver to win the championship since his father received his solely title.
The Elliotts joined Lee and Richard Petty and Ned and Dale Jarrett as simply the third father-son mixture to win a NASCAR Cup title. The Elliotts, together with Corridor of Famer Tim Flock, are the one three drivers from Georgia to win the title.
Hendrick Motorsports prolonged its NASCAR file of championships with a 13th title.
Elliott handed Joey Logano with 42 laps remaining and pulled away in a race Elliott managed even because the 4 title contenders ran 1-2-3-Four many of the afternoon. Elliott had charged via the sphere through the first stage to clump the 4 contenders within the winner-take-all season finale.
It was Elliott’s fifth win of the season, trailing solely Kevin Harvick (9) and Denny Hamlin (seven). Elliott’s win at Martinsville final week not solely locked him into the ultimate 4, however eradicated regular-season champion Harvick.
“I felt like we took some actually large strides this yr, and final week was an enormous one,” mentioned Elliott, who additionally received the All-Star race at Bristol. “To come back out of that with a win and a shot to return right here and have an opportunity to race is unbelievable.”
Elliott beat Brad Keselowski, who was adopted by Crew Penske teammate Logano after which Hamlin, who’s now zero for Four in titles races. Hamlin is taken into account together with Corridor of Famer Mark Martin one of the best driver and not using a Cup title.
“We simply fairly didn’t have sufficient,” mentioned Hamlin, the one driver of the 4 contenders to not lead a lap.
Logano led 125 laps, however most of them early.
“It stings not profitable, I’m not going to lie. It hurts,” mentioned Logano.
Keselowski had been holding out hope for a late warning to arrange a brief dash to the end, which is how each the Truck Sequence and Xfinity Sequence titles had been determined the earlier two nights.
“I might have liked to have raced it out,” Keselowski mentioned. “We simply didn’t get any yellows.”
The race had simply 4 complete cautions, three of them scheduled breaks. It made Elliott’s coronation look simple.
On the cool-down lap, Johnson pulled up alongside Elliott and fist-bumped the brand new face of Hendrick, of Chevrolet and of NASCAR. Johnson and his household then walked to Elliott’s No. 9, the place he shared sturdy hugs with Elliott and his boss.
“Oh my gosh, I imply, to share a second like that, Jimmie’s final race, to win and lock the championship,” mentioned Elliott, “these are moments you’ll be able to solely dream, you understand, and it is a dream.
“Simply hoping I don’t ever get up.”
The race accomplished NASCAR’s frenzied 38-race schedule that was overhauled due to the pandemic. The season was suspended 5 days after NASCAR raced at Phoenix in March, a race received by Logano, and the engines idled for 10 weeks.
However dealing with crippling monetary losses to the groups and the business, NASCAR was one of many first sports activities to renew competitors. NASCAR went racing once more Could 17 and used doubleheaders, midweek races and a large scheduling shuffle to finish the season for all three of its nationwide sequence.
The post Chase Elliott wins 2020 NASCAR Cup championship at Phoenix appeared first on Correct Success.
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