Chase Elliott rallied to place fourth in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). (Photo: John Arndt | The Podium Finish)
DEL VALLE, Texas — Chase Elliott seemed to be in the right place at the start of Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). After all, starting third typically reduces the likelihood of being swept up in a chaotic mess.
When Tyler Reddick led the field of 37 at the start of the 95-lap race, Elliott went from biding his time to getting hit hard by Ross Chastain in Turn 1, a hard left hander. With the field scooting past him, the 29-year-old native of Dawsonville, Georgia, had his work cut out for him.
Although Elliott placed fifth in Stage 1, he had concerns about potential damage to his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet. During the stage break caution between Stages 1 and 2, Elliott pitted for tires, fuel and a look at his car. Crew chief Alan Gustafson informed Elliott that nothing was bent and that the toe was off.
Once the toe was repaired, Elliott topped off for fuel and fell outside of the top 30 to start Stage 2. The 2021 COTA winner had pace and placed 15th in Stage 2, radioing to his team that his car’s balance was ‘all good.’
Dropping to 26th in the early moments of Stage 3, mainly to pit for tires and fuel, it was a seesaw challenge for the Hendrick Motorsports racer. Climbing up as high as 13th, Elliott and those midfield got a golden opportunity to maximize their track position.
A Lap 80, Turn 6A tangle involving Denny Hamlin and Austin Dillon presented a chance for Elliott and those around him to pit for tires and fuel to jump on those inside the top 10. With a fast car and a determined driver, Elliott restarted outside of the top 20 on Lap 83 before leaping to 11th on two laps later.
Chase Elliott worked hard to place fourth in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA. (Photo: John Arndt | The Podium Finish)
Working his way to sixth with three laps to go, Elliott rallied to a fourth place result, a testament to solid pit strategy after the Lap 1 tangle.
“Yeah, it was just a crazy day, really,” Elliott recalled. “I got run over, I felt like, there in the first corner. I’m curious to see it. I still haven’t seen it to know whether or not I did something wrong. I’m happy to own it, if I did. I just felt like it was the first corner of the first lap, and it’s just a bummer to get behind and then we had damage.
“Alan and the guys did a great job fixing it and getting it that close. We got behind on a restart there and just had to play major catchup there. Alan made a great call there at the end to put tires on it. We were rolling up through there really good at the end.”
Despite the strong result, Elliott lamented on the missed opportunity to win at COTA in terms of challenging the frontrunners.
Chase Elliott had a car as fast as the leaders in Sunday’s race at COTA. (Photo: John Arndt | The Podium Finish)
“I just wish we could put together a clean day. It just sucks to fall behind that early,” Elliott said. “I thought we had a great NAPA Chevy yesterday. I would have just I would have just liked to have seen how we would have stacked up to those guys today. That’s all.
“Just bummed that we get behind and have damage and gotta fix it and never drives like it did yesterday. And it’s just like, man, I would just would have loved a shot at it without having to try to piece it back together with the toe and and all that stuff, but a great recovery for sure. I just hate we had to recover. That’s the part that sucks.”
Given all the ups and downs of Sunday afternoon’s race, Elliott offered a positive testimonial about COTA’s updated, action packed National Circuit layout.
“I like this one better. It’s good,” Elliott said with a slight smile.
