Chase Elliott became the third-youngest Cup Series champion in NASCAR history on Sunday Nov. 8 after winning his first title during the Series Finale 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
With a margin of victory of just 2.74 seconds, Elliott secured the win over his fellow contender Brad Keselowski, who was looking to claim his second series title. The top contenders for the race also included Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Jimmie Johnson.
Initially, Elliott had a rough start on the mile-long Arizona track. After he failed pre-race inspections multiple times, Elliott was forced to start the race from the back along with competitor Brennan Poole.
However once the race began, Elliott had no problem overcoming his pre-race obstacles. After completing 75 laps, Elliott ranked third at the end of Stage 1. One hundred and fifteen laps later at the end of Stage 2, Elliott secured a second place spot. It was in the final stage of the race that Elliott saw his first chance of victory as he led for 108 out of the 122 remaining laps.
In total, Elliott led the most laps of 153 during the 312 mile long race. Third place finisher, Logano, had the second most lap leads of 125.
Not only did Elliott secure his first Cup Series championship, but he, along with his father, Bill Elliott, also became the third father-son duo in sports history to both win a Cup Series title. Elliott’s father won the Cup Series championship in 1988. They join fellow NASCAR Hall of Famers, Lee and Richard Petty along with Ned and Dale Jarrett, in sharing the family achievement.
“I’m at a loss for words; this is unbelievable,” Elliott said during a post-race interview with a NASCAR staff reporter. “Oh, my gosh. We did it. I mean, we did it…This is a moment I’ve dreamed about. This is all I’ve wanted to do is be a race car driver and race in NASCAR. To be honest, I’m humbled.”
The 2021 Cup Series is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 14 at the Daytona International Speedway.
Kerri Hoover
Kerri Hoover is in her third year working on the Eagle Eye staff and currently serves as the President and Editor-in-Chief. As a Lock Haven University senior, she majors in Communication with a triple-concentration focus in Advertising & Public Relations, Electronic Media, and Journalism. With her versatile skill set, Kerri hopes to pursue a career working as a social media content creator, journalist, or video editor. On the rare occasion Kerri isn’t working in the newsroom, she can be found hanging out with her friends, working at the PUB, or creating content for the LHU Media and Journalism Department.
