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Elliott grabbed the lead for the time on a restart with eight of the scheduled 267 laps remaining, but it surely was nonetheless an extended street to Victory Lane.
Elliott needed to fend off Denny Hamlin on a restart with two laps to go, then fought off Ross Chastain on a pair of restarts in extra time earlier than lastly securing the win when the warning got here out when William Byron obtained into Chastain racing for second place.
The victory ended a frustratingly lengthy winless streak by Elliott that dates to the 2022 season, a span that included missed races for a leg damage and a one-race NASCAR suspension.
With the warning out and driving to take the checkered flag, an emotional Elliott mentioned over his crew radio, “I can not let you know, each one in all you, how a lot I admire you for sticking with me.”
Elliott, along with his nineteenth profession wins, turns into the third completely different driver from Hendrick Motorsports to win within the first 9 races of the 2024 season.
“Oh, man, I could not really feel any higher,” Elliott mentioned after the race. “Hooter’s has been a companion of ours for numerous years now. It has been a dream of mine to pay respect to the late Alan Kulwicki. Driving this automobile to a victory and do a Polish victory lap – it is simply actually loopy how issues got here full circle there in that second. It was fairly emotional for me. He beat dad again within the day. Right here we’re sharing his sponsor and having a chance to win at the moment.
“I could not be extra grateful for this journey and type of the trail that hasn’t at all times been enjoyable, however actually have loved working with our guys. We have been working actually exhausting and rather well collectively. Like I mentioned, hasn’t at all times been enjoyable, however we have loved the battle collectively.”
Elliott mentioned he had not seen a replay of his race for the lead with Hamlin however did not imagine he was accountable.
“I did not really feel like I did something tremendous loopy there any greater than anyone’s ever carried out to me. Simply needed to run ahead. I need to take a look at it. I did not really feel like I did something to crash him. I believe simply the circumstances,” Elliott mentioned. “However nonetheless, apologies to him if that’s the case.
“Could not be extra pleased with our crew. Boss (crew proprietor Rick Hendrick), thanks for sticking with me. Actually, actually pleased with this. Admire all the oldsters again residence which have caught with me and helped us get again on monitor.”
Byron – who gained for HMS final weekend at Martinsville – ended up credited with second, Brad Keselowski third, Tyler Reddick fourth and Daniel Suarez accomplished the highest 5.
Stage 1
Kyle Larson held off Christopher Bell by 0.931 seconds to assert the Stage 1 win. Hamlin was third, Reddick fourth and Chase Briscoe ended up fifth.
Stage 2
Chastain stayed out on the final warning and was capable of maintain off Bubba Wallace by 0.613 seconds to take the Stage 2 win. Ryan Blaney was third, Erik Jones fourth and Briscoe grabbed fifth on the ultimate lap.
Bell spun off Flip 4 on lap 101 in an incident that additionally noticed John Hunter Nemechek and Alex Bowman wreck within the aftermath. Bowman was knocked out of the race.
Stage 3
Following the break between Phases 2 and three, a number of lead lap vehicles spit however Wallace remained on the monitor and inherited the lead. Larson, who was two laps down at one level, obtained the free go and returned to the lead lap.
As the sector raced by way of Turns 3 and 4, Harrison Burton went inside Wallace to take the sector three-wide and seize the lead. Wallace then obtained free, went up the monitor and hit Briscoe to carry out the warning.
Burton led Hamlin and Reddick on the restart with 90 laps to go.
4 laps later, Ryan Preece obtained into Blaney and despatched his No. 12 Penske Ford up the monitor and into the Flip 2 wall, bringing an early finish to his race.
Reddick led Burton and Hamlin on the restart with 82 laps to go.
A number of lead-lap drivers, together with Byron and Elliott, kicked off a remaining spherical of inexperienced flag pit stops with 55 laps to go to tackle new tires and gasoline to make it to the tip of the race.
Earlier than the cycle of stops was accomplished, Nemechek shot up the monitor and hit the wall exhausting in Flip 4 on lap 229 to carry out the eleventh warning of the race. Those that had not but pit did so, turning the lead again over to Reddick.
Elliott went to the within of Reddick to take the sector three-wide and grabbed the lead on the restart with 33 laps to go.
On Lap 230, Hamlin ran down Elliott and reclaimed the highest spot as Reddick hit the wall and misplaced a number of positions on the monitor.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wrecked off Flip 2 to carry out the twelfth warning of the race and arrange a restart with eight laps remaining and Hamlin main Elliott and Keselowski.
Simply after Elliott moved forward of Hamlin on the restart, Larson hit the wall off Flip 2 to trigger one other warning and arrange yet one more restart with two laps to go.
Whereas racing Elliott for the lead, Hamlin spun and backed into the wall in Flip 4 to ship the race into extra time. A wreck involving Burton and Kaz Grala on the restart despatched the race right into a second extra time with Elliott nonetheless in command.
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