Chase Elliott wins at Watkins Glen, takes Win #2 in 2019 (8-4-19)

By: Becca Cottingham

Headline Photo Credit: Brian Lawdermilk-Getty Images/NASCAR

We enter Waktins Glen with a huge spin by Kyle Busch and everyone else checked up well to avoid damage. It truly was a huge break for Kyle Busch. Chase Elliott took off with roughly two second lead in stage one. A battle between Larson and Truex Jr. Larson’s rear is very loose. The number ten car is having issues with the shifters and are in need of a caution to fix the issue. Denny Hamlin surprised William Byron and both were very lucky to not take each other out. We did have several drivers come to pit road to use strategy. However, William Byron got spun out by Kyle Busch after an issue earlier and went through the grass. William then paid Kyle’s car a visit and has major damage on the front of his race car. Chase Elliott won the first stage at The Glen. During pitstops William Byron went on the damaged car policy. But the kicker is Kyle Busch was caught speeding off of pit road.

On the restart for stage two, we had a lot of dirt flying around. Martin Truex Jr and another car both caught the grass trying to make some moves. Parker Kilgerman got spun out with all of the aggression going on the track. Reed Sorenson has some kind of failure on his car with a lot of smoke coming out of the car. Bubba Wallace spun out and hit the tire wall in the carousel bringing out the caution flag. Chase Elliott won stage two under caution.

We have two huge road course drivers leading the race on the front row with Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. Martin is waiting for Chase to make a mistake to get around him to be the winner. This a huge rebound for Chase Elliott after struggling the last six weeks. Daniel Hemric spun out and has heavy damage and is trying to make it back to pit road. Martin Truex Jr. is putting some major moves on Chase Elliott for the first position. With two clean pit stops Elliott is able to keep the lead, while Jimmie Johnson spins on the track when Ryan Blaney got into him. Followed by a spin by Kyle Busch which brought out a caution due to smoke coming out behind the 18th. Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch were very aggressive on the front stretch and they were battling. Bubba Wallace got tired of Kyle’s aggression and got into the rear and spun him out. There is a lot of beating and banging between Chase and Martin Truex Jr at the restart with roughly twenty five to go. Both drivers are worried about tires with all the beating and banging. They are both hungry for the win at the Glen. Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. had a huge battle almost the entire last stage. Chase Elliot was able to lead eighty laps and took the checkered flag!

Next Race:

Sunday, August 11 at Michigan for the Consumers Energy 400 at 3pm