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Hendrick Motorsports star Chase Elliott finally ended his year-and-a-half-long winless streak and drove home to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
The 2022 YellaWood 500 was the last time fans witnessed the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion emerge victorious in a NASCAR race. After missing out on that year's championship, then being involved in a snowboarding accident in 2023, and subsequently failing to qualify for Cup Series playoffs last season, the 28-year-old fan-favorite driver was back in the victory lane 42 races later.
The win held special significance for Elliott. The No. 9 Chevy driver became the third Hendrick Motorsports driver to have won a race so far this season. Celebrating in Hooters colors on his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy Camaro, Elliott honored the occasion with a Polish victory lap, reminiscent of 1992 Cup champion Alan Kulwicki and his iconic owner-driven No. 7 Ford Thunderbird.
Speaking to Fox Sports after the race, an emotional Chase Elliott said:
"Hooter's has been a partner of ours for a number of years now. It's been a dream of mine to pay respect to the late Alan Kulwicki. Driving this car to a victory and do a Polish victory lap - it's just really crazy how things came full circle there in that moment."
Reflecting on Kulwicki's legacy, Elliott added:
"It was pretty emotional for me. He beat dad back in the day. Here we are sharing his sponsor and having an opportunity to win today."
Chase Elliott expresses gratitude after 19th Cup race victory
Elliott's gratitude extended to his team and supporters, emphasizing the challenging journey that led to this triumph. He added:
"I couldn't be more grateful for this journey and kind of the path that hasn't always been fun, but certainly have enjoyed working with our guys. We've been working really hard and really well together."
Speaking of the continued support from HMS team owner Rick Hendrick, the No. 9 driver stated:
"Couldn't be more proud of our team. Boss, thank you for sticking with me. Really, really proud of this. Appreciate all the folks back home that have stuck with me and helped us get back on track."
Kyle Larson won the first stage of the race before a tire issue halted his momentum. Tyler Reddick won the second stage, while Brad Keselowski, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, and Daniel Suarez rounded out the top 5.
With the win, Chase Elliott finds himself in fourth position in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. He has 303 points to his name, courtesy of three top-5 finishes.
