Picture this: A driver dominating the early stages of a race, only to see it all unravel in the blink of an eye due to a single pit road mishap. That's the heart-wrenching tale of Chase Elliott's disappointing day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But trust me, the drama doesn't stop there—it's a rollercoaster that had fans and experts buzzing.
In what began as an encouraging outing for Chase Elliott, the race at Las Vegas took a sharp turn for the worse right in the midst of a routine pit stop on Sunday. Elliott, who kicked off the event in fourth place, managed to hold his own and ended up fifth in the opening stage, despite some setbacks during his initial pit visit. He slipped a position during the stage break stop but rallied to sixth as he approached his next green-flag pit stop under normal racing conditions.
And this is the part most people miss—where a seemingly minor error snowballed into a major setback. During that crucial second stop, as the crew member responsible for the front tires removed the right-front one, it unexpectedly rolled away from the pit stall without anyone there to catch it. This blunder led to a 'pass-through penalty' for Elliott, which, for those new to racing, means he had to drive through the pit lane at a specified speed to serve his punishment, essentially costing him valuable track position and time. Frustrated, he had to return to the pits to complete the penalty, putting him a full lap behind the leaders.
Yet, undeterred, Elliott fought back valiantly. He positioned himself strategically between Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick—who were battling for the top spots—and skillfully navigated through the congested traffic. By picking off the cars that Larson had lapped during that stage, Elliott secured the 'free pass,' a NASCAR rule that allows a lapped driver to regain the lead lap under certain conditions. It was a smart move that got him back into contention, much like a chess player sacrificing a piece to regain control of the board.
Heading into the final stage, Elliott was back on the lead lap but starting from 25th. He climbed steadily, reaching as high as 18th before making another pit stop. Choosing to pit a few laps later than most, he emerged in 20th and maintained that position until a caution flag was thrown for an incident involving William Byron and Ty Dillon, with 32 laps remaining in the 267-lap race.
That yellow flag prompted a round of pit stops, boosting Elliott back to 18th. But here's where it gets controversial—was the timing of that restart just bad luck, or did Elliott's decisions play a bigger role in the chaos that followed? Immediately after the green flag waved again with 23 laps to go, an 11-car pileup erupted in turn one, and Elliott found himself right in the thick of it. From that point on, he could only muster an 18th-place finish. Visibly upset, he chose to skip post-race interviews with The Racing Experts (TRE) but shared his thoughts with USA Today.
“I felt like things were going well for a bit at the start. We began strong, and the car's handling felt spot-on—I was really pleased with how it was performing overall. Sadly, that pit road penalty threw a wrench in everything. Being back in traffic required a totally different setup to compete, and I think I misjudged my initial adjustments. We had limited opportunities to tweak it, so... yeah, I fell behind on fine-tuning for my track position,” Elliott explained to USA Today.
He went on to admit making “a few poor choices” on that final restart. As a result, he's now 23 points behind the playoff cutline heading into Talladega. Still, he remained optimistic in a way that's typical of seasoned drivers: “I'm okay. That's just how it goes. Everyone faces it eventually, so you'd better get used to it fast—it's coming up soon,” he said.
This incident raises some intriguing debates. Was the rolling tire truly an avoidable mistake by the crew, or a harsh penalty in a sport where split-second errors can decide races? Some might argue it highlights the unforgiving nature of NASCAR, while others could see it as a testament to Elliott's resilience in bouncing back. What do you think—does this penalty system level the playing field, or does it sometimes punish teams unfairly? We'd love to hear your take in the comments below. Agree or disagree? Let's discuss!
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Jonathan Fjeld – View All (https://theracingexperts.com/author/jfjeld71/)
Jonathan Fjeld serves as the co-owner of The Racing Experts, LLC, and has been a key part of the TRE team since 2010.
Hailing from Twin Valley, MN, Fjeld developed a passion for motorsports at the tender age of three, attending his first race—the 2002 Pennsylvania 500. He contributed as a writer and reporter for TRE from 2010 to 2018, before expanding his role to cover 24 NASCAR race weekends and taking on greater responsibilities. In 2023, he became co-owner and managing editor, steering the site toward significant expansion.
Over the years, Fjeld has chronicled a broad spectrum of motorsport tales, from Kevin Harvick's farewell Cup Series season and the rare 50-year disqualification in a national series, to Shane van Gisbergen's shocking Chicago victory and the historic first Cup Series event at Road America in 66 years. He's also delved into stories of rising talents and behind-the-scenes insights, such as the advanced technology powering Hendrick Motorsports' success as a premier team.
Today, Jonathan resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC affiliate, as a digital producer and on-air reporter. Outside of work, he cherishes moments with loved ones, enjoys music—both playing and listening—and finds fulfillment in outdoor adventures, reading, writing, and exploring new destinations. Feel free to reach out via email at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com.
