CHICAGO — Chase Elliott finished 16th in the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course on Sunday, maintaining his season-long top-20 streak despite mid-race damage and elimination from the In-Season Challenge by John Hunter Nemechek.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver, piloting the No. 9 Chevrolet, battled adversity, but fell short of a victory that could have bolstered his playoff position, as Shane van Gisbergen claimed his third career Cup Series win and second of the season.
Elliott, second in the points standings, started the race from 39th after crashing in Saturday’s practice, forcing his team to skip qualifying for repairs. The setback placed him at the rear alongside teammates William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Alex Bowman, as well as Denny Hamlin, who suffered an engine failure.
Despite the poor starting position, Elliott methodically worked through the field on the 2.2-mile, 12-turn street course, showcasing the consistency that has defined his 2025 campaign. His 16th-place result preserved a top-20 streak that snapped at this event last year, a testament to his ability to salvage points even on challenging days.
Mid-race, Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet sustained damage in a multi-car incident on a Lap 45 restart, triggered by contact in the tight Turn 6. The crash bent his car’s front grill, compromising speed and requiring an unscheduled pit stop.
His pit crew swarmed the car on pit road, hammering out repairs to keep him in contention.
The quick work allowed Chase Elliott to stay on the lead lap, but the damage curtailed his chances of challenging for the win. The incident underscored the unforgiving nature of the Chicago Street Course, where narrow corners and concrete barriers punish mistakes.
In the In-Season Challenge’s second round, Chase Elliott faced Nemechek, the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota driver, who finished 15th, one spot ahead, eliminating Elliott from the bracket-style tournament.
Nemechek’s strong run capitalized on Chase Elliott’s mid-race struggles, marking a rare upset for the Dawsonville, Georgia, native, who had advanced to the second round after defeating Austin Dillon in Atlanta. Elliott’s elimination adds pressure to his playoff push, as he sits comfortably above the cutline but lacks a second win to lock in his postseason cushion with eight races remaining. While Elliott is comfortably in the field now, he lacks a stage win on the season and will need some magic in the first round to bolster his title chances.
In Chicago, Van Gisbergen dominated the race, fending off Ty Gibbs, who finished second, followed by Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch. The race saw intense battles, with Michael McDowell winning Stage 1 and Ryan Blaney taking Stage 2. Elliott’s teammate Bowman finished eighth, while Bubba Wallace, his In-Season Challenge opponent, placed 13th after a separate incident. The Chicago Street Course, known for its chaos, lived up to its reputation with multiple cautions, including a massive pileup on Lap 3 caused by Carson Hocevar, which collected Dillon and others.
Elliott’s ability to rally from damage and a poor starting position highlighted his resilience, a hallmark of his season. His top-20 streak, now intact through 19 races, contrasts with last year’s Chicago disappointment, where he finished outside the top 20 for the first time. However, the mid-race setback and bracket elimination stung for a driver accustomed to contending at road courses, where he has 10 top-five finishes in the Next Gen era. As NASCAR heads to Pocono, Elliott remains focused on securing another win to cement his championship aspirations, with the Chicago result a reminder of the fine margins in a fiercely competitive season.
Chase Elliott was eliminated from the NASCAR In-Season Tournament by John-Hunter Nemechek on the last lap of the race, as a caution from the tower flew.
In case you missed it, Austin Dillon went off on Carson Hocevar during the race Sunday.
