WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Mired in a confounding losing streak since the start of his NASCAR Cup career in 2016, Chase Elliott finally broke into the win column Sunday, holding off road course ace Martin Truex Jr. at Watkins Glen.
The son of Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who also won his first Cup race on a road course (Riverside in 1983 in his 124th start), Chase celebrated a triumph he will cherish forever.
Out of fuel after the finish, he was pushed to victory lane by the banged-up No. 48 Chevy of seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, a teammate and one of his staunchest supporters, as his father raced to join the celebration after spotting.
"It's something I'll never forget," said Elliott, who has finished second eight times. "I was going to do a burnout, but I ran out of gas. Certainly glad that we were on the front end today."
Elliott's victory came in his 99th Cup start and was the 250th win for Hendrick Motorsports, breaking a 37-race losing streak for the team. It also assured Elliott a spot in the playoffs.
Truex ran second to Elliott for most of the final stage, and closed to the back bumper of Elliott's No. 9 Chevy as his car bobbled slightly out of the first turn on the final la. But Truex's No. 78 Toyota skidded, Elliott regrouped and pulled away and Truex sputtered home, out of fuel.
"He did a good job of putting his car exactly where it needed to be and not making a mistake," said Truex.
Kyle Busch finished third, followed by Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones, a triumvirate of Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas.
