"I certainly don't want to win that way": When Chase Elliott rejected the joy of a handed NASCAR victory

Drivers are elated after a victory in NASCAR, but one unique instance was when the driver, Chase Elliott, rejected the joy of being handed a NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2022. This instance happened during the NASCAR Cup Race at Pocono Raceway back in July 2022, in which Denny Hamlin crossed the finish line first but was later disqualified after his car failed post-race inspections.

It was an unusual moment for Elliott as he left the Pocono Raceway as a third-place finisher, but after he landed in Georgia, he was declared the winner of the race as both Denny Hamlin's and his teammate, Kyle Busch's, Toyota Camry cars failed the inspections. The Joe Gibbs Racing team declined to appeal NASCAR's decision and later apologised for the incident.

Chase Elliott expressed that he won't enjoy the victory as it was a result of Hamlin's misfortune and that it didn't seem right to him.

"I was probably just kind of more surprised by it than anything. I don't think any driver wants to win that way. I certainly don't. I'm not going to celebrate someone's misfortune. That doesn't seem right to me. I crossed the line third. That's kind of how I'm looking at it." Chase Elliott said via ESPN

Richard Childress Racing driver, Tyler Reddick, and Trackhouse Racing driver, Daniel Suarez, were also promoted to second and third positions after the disqualification of the Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Elliott finished fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series rankings at the end of the 2022 season, scoring 5009 points throughout the year.

Chase Elliott acknowledges the importance of playoff points heading into the NASCAR postseason.

Hendrick Motorsports Racing team driver, Chase Elliott, has secured just one victory this season, and despite that, he currently leads the NASCAR Cup Series rankings this season. The driver has delivered consistent results throughout the season with top-20 finishes in all the races so far.

Elliott could gain 15 important playoff points if he continues to lead the Cup Series Championship by the end of the season, with just four races to go. He topped the regular season table during the 2022 season and managed to finish fourth in the championship primarily because of the playoff points he had scored earlier.

The 29-year-old driver spoke to the press last weekend and emphasised the importance of the playoff points.

"They’d be huge for sure. I’ve been on both sides of the coin there. There have been years where I feel like we’ve not had many playoff points, and we’ve had a couple of years where we’ve had a bunch. I promise it is a lot easier when you have a lot in the bank." Chase Elliott said via The Sports Rush

Elliott needs to continue his supreme run this season in the remaining four races as well to finish at the top of the table. He currently leads his teammate, William Byron, by four points. The driver will be back in action for the Iowa Corn 350 race next weekend.