DARLINGTON, S.C.: The most recent winner in the NASCAR Cup Series will start at the rear of the field in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway after Chase Elliott crashed in Turn 4 Saturday morning after suffering a flat tire in his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Elliott climbed from his battered race car uninjured.
Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports quickly rolled out the backup car – a plain Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE and will begin to prepare the car for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion to race in the 400-mile race at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame.”
After being released from the infield care center, Elliott, a native of Dawsonville, Ga. described what happened.
“I recognized it, but I couldn’t get slowed down in time,” said Elliott. “Yeah, I hate that. I don’t know what you do. Hopefully, that’s not a trend that continues tomorrow. That’s kind of a concerning thing, I saw the 4 (Kevin Harvick) had one (flat tire) in a similar manner but fortunately, he was in a spot where he could keep going.”
The accident will force Elliott to miss qualifying Saturday morning forcing the team to take a provisional and start the race deep in the field for his 11th Cup start at the 1.366-mile race track.
The 14-time Cup winner knows he will have his work cut off for him in the 12th Cup Series race of the 2022 season.
“Just hate that,” added Elliott. “Obviously, it puts you in a terrible spot you know missing qualifying, don’t get to pick pit. It buries you on pit road, it buries you on the track, kinda sets you up for a long day. So, hopefully, we get lucky with some type of a decent pit pick and can climb our way out.”
Elliott had planned to make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season driving a fifth JR Motorsports car, but inclement weather about halfway through qualifying Friday afternoon forced NASCAR to cancel the remainder of the session and set the field by the rule book.
With JR Motorsport’s No. 88 placed 39th in the championship owner standings, JRM wasn’t high enough in championship points to be eligible for a points provisional and with 40 cars attempting the race, Elliott and Brennan Poole failed to qualify.
The 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion wasn’t eligible for the past champion’s provisional as it’s deemed for competitors in the Xfinity Series who declare Xfinity championship points and have competed in at least one race the season before (2021).
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
