Elliott ends skid with OT victory in Texas

Chase Elliott pulled ahead and cleared Ross Chastain on the first lap after the second restart in overtime Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, ending a 42-race winless streak for NASCAR’s most popular driver.

The race ended on the 16th caution after Elliott had taken the white flag for the 276th lap in a race scheduled for 267 laps. Chastain got bumped from behind by defending race winner William Byron, who finished third and was just behind Brad Keselowski when the final yellow flag came out.

It was the fifth win this season for Hendrick Motorsports, the 306th for NASCAR’s winningest team, but the first for Elliott in the No. 9 since Talladega in October 2022.

Elliott and Denny Hamlin were at the front of the field after a restart with two laps left in regulation, and they were racing all-out when Hamlin got loose on the outside going into Turn 4 and went hard into the wall, bringing out the 14th caution and sending the race to overtime.

That was the second restart in the last 10 laps of regulation, with Hamlin leading on the previous one before Elliott edged ahead about the same time that another caution came out when polesitter Kyle Larson wrecked after a crowded four-wide jumble back in the field.

NBA

PLAY-IN GAMES SET

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are staying in New Orleans for a couple more days. Stephen Curry and Golden State will head back to Sacramento to face elimination again. And the Miami Heat are back in the play-in, which started their run to the NBA Finals last year.

The play-in field is set. On April 16, it’s the Lakers facing the Pelicans for a No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, then the Warriors and the Kings in an elimination game.

On April 17, it’s the Heat going to Philadelphia to decide No. 7 in the Eastern Conference, followed by Atlanta at Chicago in a win-or-else matchup.

MLB METS RETIRE GOODEN’S NUMBER >>

Honored by the Mets with the retirement of his No. 16 on Sunday, Dwight Gooden recounted how his career in Queens was cut short by drugs and alcohol, forcing him to sign across town ahead of the 1996 seasons. When he mentioned the Yankees, fans booed. “I’m always a Met,” he said three times, prompting cheers.

College football SUN DEVILS HIRE WARD >>

Arizona State has hired former Steelers star Hines Ward as wide receivers coach. Ward replaces Ra’Shaad Samples, who left to become associate head coach and wide receivers coach at Oregon.