Elliott can’t escape that empty feeling

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Chase Elliott thought he would be celebrating the first Cup victory of his career in the Daytona 500.

Instead, he wound up a passenger in a car driven by his father out the gates of Daytona International Speedway after a crushing defeat.

Elliott led 39 laps Sunday in NASCAR’s season opener and appeared to have control of the field until he ran out of fuel and faded to a seventh-place finish. In the post-race confusion, he could not be located for interviews and left the track without commenting.

It wasn’t a surprise — the 21-year-old was exceptionally hard on himself after several near misses last season — but he quickly took to Twitter to express his thoughts. Chevrolet then distributed a statement on his behalf.

“It was a disappointing finish to a good day,” he said in the statement.

Elliott was seeking to become the first driver to win the pole, a qualifying race and the 500 since his father — Hall of Famer Bill Elliott — accomplished the feat in 1985.

Junior says he’s OK after crash

Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbed out of his wrecked race car, surveyed the damage, chatted with his team and hopped on a golf cart for a trip to the infield care center.

Eight minutes after checking in with doctors, Earnhardt, 42, walked out. And he felt fine.

Earnhardt crashed out near the midway point of Sunday’s race, hitting the wall after Kyle Busch lost control and turned sideways in front of him. Earnhardt’s team was unable to repair all the damage to his No. 88 Chevrolet, forcing him to make an early exit in NASCAR’s signature race. He finished 37th in the 40-car field.

“I feel good,” Earnhardt said.

NASCAR’s most popular driver missed 18 races, half the season, in 2016 because of lingering concussion symptoms that included nausea as well as vision and balance issues. He got back in the car in early December and then gained medical clearance to return this season.