ELLIOTT’S FIRST TITLE
Drove from back to win finale
AVONDALE, ARIZ. » The new face of NASCAR circled Phoenix Raceway for a celebratory lap of his finest achievement. Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, was now a Cup champion, too.
He came upon teammate Jimmie Johnson, who banged doors with Elliott. Then the seven- time champion, in his final race, gave Elliott a fist bump.
The torch has officially been passed. This is NASCAR’s Camelot.
Elliott did what Dale Earnhardt Jr. could not and parlayed the popularity gleamed off his Hall of Fame father into a NASCAR championship. The son of “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” Georgia solidified himself as the new face of Hendrick Motorsports, of Chevrolet and of NASCAR on the day the greatest driver of this generation called it a career.
Elliott drove from the back of the field to victory lane at Phoenix to win for Hendrick and Chevrolet, which had been shut out of the title race since Johnson won his seventh and final crown in 2016.
“I just never would have thought that this year would have gone like it has,” Elliott said. “I mean, NASCAR Cup Series champion, are you kidding me? Unreal.”
He shared a long hug with Johnson, who joined Elliott for the victory celebration.
“Oh my gosh, I mean, to share a moment like that, Jimmie’s last race, to win and lock the championship,” said Elliott, “those are moments you can only dream, you know, and this is a dream.
“Just hoping I don’t ever wake up.” Elliott’s car failed pre- race inspection and the penalty cost him the pole when he was sent to the rear. But he raced his way through traffic in the first stage and then took control of the championship. Elliott led seven times for a race- high 153 laps.
Johnson finished fifth — his best result since August — in his final ride in Hendrick’s No. 48 Chevrolet.
“My heart is full,” said Johnson, who is tied with Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with seven titles. His 83 victories rank sixth on the career wins list and his stretch of five consecutive titles from 2006- 2010 is a NASCAR record.
Asked what he will remember about his 686th race, Johnson said it will be Elliott’s breakthrough.
“Chase Elliott won his first championship. I’m so happy for that guy,” he said. “I can recall going snowboarding with Bill out in Colorado and Chase was maybe 8 years old on skis, super quiet, wouldn’t say much.
“To watch him grow up and to be around him and to give him some advice from time to time has really been meaningful for me. I think more about him winning a championship more than anything.”
Elliott, who turns 25 later this month, has followed his father’s footsteps. Bill Elliott won the 1988 championship and 16 times was voted by the fans NASCAR’s most popular driver.
Chase Elliott became the fan favorite in 2018 after Earnhardt Jr. retired. He’s the first most popular driver to win the championship since his father won his only title.
The Elliotts joined Lee and Richard Petty and Ned and Dale Jarrett as just the third father- son combination to win a NASCAR Cup title.
Hendrick Motorsports extended its NASCAR record with a 13th championship.
It was Elliott’s fifth win of the season, trailing only Kevin Harvick ( nine) and Denny Hamlin ( seven).