Chase Elliott won Sunday’s Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Ala. after getting some big help from a fellow Chevrolet driver.
Elliott was fifth on the final restart with two laps to go. Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones were both on the front row. Elliott managed to slip ahead and got a critical push from his manufacturer teammate Jones to come out in front. He held off Blaney by 0.046 seconds for the checkered flag, propelling him into the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Take a look at the push Elliott from the No. 43 Chevrolet to propel him ahead of Blaney.
ELLIOTT WINS IN A THRILLING TALLADEGA FINISH!
The No. 9 is able to get the push to the front and keep his good friend @Blaney behind to punch his ticket to the Round of 8!#NASCAR #NASCARPlayoffs #YellaWood500 pic.twitter.com/ETuPHk44Xw
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) October 2, 2022
“He gave me some great shoves. Obviously, the team Chevy partner there,” Elliott said in a post-race interview.
Jones finished the race sixth. He is not in the playoff, which is why he was able to help the No. 9 Chevy with the push.
Elliott is the first playoff driver to win one of the playoff races. He is also the first driver to qualify for the Round of 8.
Entering next week’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval, Austin Cindric, William Byron, Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman would be the four drivers eliminated from the playoff field.
Playoff Standings: Entering @CLTMotorSpdwy Roval@chaseelliott can live stress free this week as he is the only driver into the Round of 8.
It's a very tight cutoff line, but considering the craziness at road courses this season nobody is safe.#NASCAR #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/GHtZsgqEyJ
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) October 2, 2022
Blaney finished second at Talladega and is second behind Elliott in the playoff standings.
