Chase Elliott has never been shy about his feelings toward Texas Motor Speedway—and for years, those feelings weren't exactly warm. But after a dramatic victory at the Wurth 400, the Hendrick Motorsports star is finally ready to admit the track may have a soft spot for him, even if he didn't feel the same way.
Elliott's second win of the season came in dramatic fashion, and it marked the earliest in his Cup Series career that he's notched multiple victories. In 2022, he didn't score his second win until race No. 17—and that year, he went on to pile up five total wins. This season, only Elliott and Tyler Reddick have visited Victory Lane more than once in the first 11 races, putting both drivers in elite early-season form.
“I’ve trashed this place for years,” Elliott admitted after the race, referencing the reconfigured Turns 1 and 2 that he's long criticized. “Obviously, there’s some selfish opinion in that because I thought it was a really strong track, and then it turned into not a strong track at all. Those things combined just put a bad taste in my mouth.”
But Texas had other plans. “For as hard of a time as I’ve given it, for some reason it likes me. It loved me back. I didn’t like it, but it liked me. So, I’m learning to come around a little bit.”
The victory didn't come easy. Elliott held off Denny Hamlin by just 0.407 seconds—marking the second time this season the two have finished 1-2. Their first duel came at Martinsville in March, where Elliott won by 0.565 seconds. Hamlin thought he might have a shot at the lead until Corey Heim spun with 11 laps to go. Neither driver pitted, and on the restart with four laps remaining, Elliott chose the inside lane while Hamlin went outside. Elliott's teammate Alex Bowman lined up behind him, giving the No. 9 car a crucial push into Turn 1.
“I thought I got a good restart there at the end side-by-side,” Hamlin said. “But then, just the way the side draft works there into Turn 1 with him getting the push from the 48 (Bowman), it just allowed his momentum to pick up a little bit quicker than mine.”
For Elliott, the win at a track he's long disliked adds a layer of irony to an already impressive season. And with 23 career Cup victories now under his belt, he's proving that sometimes, the tracks that challenge you the most can also reward you the sweetest.