Elliott wins in Fort Worth to break long losing streak

Chase Elliott said last week after his third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway that he felt his day to win was coming.

It arrived Sunday in the Lone Star State.

Elliott broke a 42-race winless streak by holding off Ross Chastain in double overtime to win the

NASCAR Cup Series’ caution-filled AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

Elliott and Denny Hamlin restarted on the front row twice in the final laps of regulation, but Hamlin brought out the 14th caution in Turn 4 while outside of Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet.

After Harrison Burton’s wreck caused the final caution, Elliott won a drag race with Chastain — who also wrecked and finished 32nd — to earn the victory in the 276-lap race, the season’s ninth event.

“It couldn’t feel any better,” said Elliott, who won for the first time at Texas in his 14th start.

“I couldn’t be more grateful for this journey and kind of the path that hasn’t always been fun. [Our team has] been working really hard together.”

The six-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver said the track, which produced 15 cautions, was difficult, including navigating Turn 4 that claimed the No. 11 Toyota of Hamlin.

“This track is so sketchy,” he said. “I haven’t seen a replay of

Denny and us, but I don’t think I did anything crazy. … I just had to run for it. I don’t think I did anything to crash him.”

The victory was the 19th of Elliott’s career and first since he won at Talladega on Oct. 2, 2022.

Brad Keselowski came in second, with William Byron, Tyler Reddick and Daniel Suarez rounding out the top five.