A rookie spun a veteran. Lightning forced a stall. Kyle Busch went to the garage. And ultimately, Chase Elliott conquered NASCAR's first Cup road race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday evening.
Following a 30-minute weather delay and a late-lap caution for Busch, whose rear tires blew out, Elliott held his lead over the field through the final stage of the Go Bowling 235 to clinch his second checkered flag of the season. Denny Hamlin finished in second place and Martin Truex Jr. finished third.
Elliott, who won the first stage, regained the lead at the start of the last stage just before the red flag came out for a lightning strike. After pit stops cycled through when the race went green, Elliott raced back to first place with 10 laps remaining.
He was able to put over 11 seconds on Hamlin, who won Stage 2, until the yellow flag came out for Busch with five laps left. Leaders Elliott, Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson stayed out instead of pitting, but Elliott stayed just ahead of Hamlin for the final laps of the race. Truex got under Johnson in the final lap to clinch third, while Johnson finished in fourth.
With only three events remaining in the regular season following Sunday's race, we're turning the attention to teams and drivers on the playoff points bubble.
