MENCS: Chase Elliott picks up first career win at Watkins Glen

Chase Elliott won today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International Sunday afternoon.

This was Elliott’s first win of his Monster Energy Cup Series and 250th for his car owner Rick Hendrick.

“What a thrill. I don’t know what to say,” Elliott said.”I’m so thrilled, so emotional, so much relief, working on three years and i hadn’t won one.

Since Geoff Bodine’s win in 1984, Seventeen drivers have gone to victory lane for Hendrick Motorsports.

After Chase Elliott drove into victory lane, several drivers in the field went over to Elliott to congratulate him on his achievement. 

After Sunday’s race, Bill Elliott joined his son Chase Elliott in victory lane.

“I don’t know how to describe this feeling,” Bill Elliott said.

Elliott, who had the dominate car of the field on Sunday won the second stage and traded for the lead throughout the race, but was challenged by 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. during the final fifteen laps.

Driver NO. 78 threatened Elliott most noticebly on the final lap, after Elliott locked up Turn 1 which would allow Truex Jr. to close in on Elliott’s gap. However, Martin Truex Jr. would be denied by Elliott after Elliott pulled away from Truex throughout the circuit.

In Elliott’s previous 98 starts, driver NO. 9 has finished second on eight different occasions. 

With his win on Sunday, Chase Elliott now books his place in the Monster Energy Cup Series playoffs.

Rounding out the top five were Martin Truex Jr. in second, Kyle Busch in third, Daniel Suarez in fourth and Erik Jones in fifth.

Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr.

Stage 2 Winner: Chase Elliott

Race Winner: Chase Elliott

Next Race: Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 12 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on NBCSN and MRN.

Matthew Jackson
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