Chase Elliott Picks Up First Career Victory and Hendrick Motorsports 250th

In 1983, after eight second-place finishes, Bill Elliott picked up his first career victory at Riverside.

Nearly 35 years later, after eight second-place finishes, Elliott's son Chase Elliott earned his first career victory at another road course in the form of Watkins Glen.

Elliott had to hold off 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and "Big Three" driver Martin Truex Jr. to secure what should be the first of many victories in the MENCS.

Truex Jr. ran out of fuel on the final lap but still managed to finish second while Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez, and Erik Jones rounding out the top five. It's only Chevrolet's second victory of 2018 and first since season-opening Daytona 500.

The victory snaps a 36 race winless streak for Hendrick Motorsports. The last victory for HMS came at Indianapolis last season with Kasey Kahne. The victory was elusive for HMS as it's victory No. 250 for the organization dating back to Geoffrey Bodine's victory at Martinsville in 1984.

After the checkered flag flew, Elliott ran out of fuel and almost didn't make it back to pit road without a push from a tow truck. Instead of a tow truck, seven-time MENCS champion Jimmie Johnson gave the No. 9 a push to the frontstretch where he celebrated alongside his crew.

Results from Watkins Glen

  1. Chase Elliott
  2. Martin Truex Jr.
  3. Kyle Busch
  4. Daniel Suarez
  5. Erik Jones
  6. Kyle Larson
  7. Jamie McMurray
  8. William Byron
  9. Kurt Busch
  10. Kevin Harvick
  11. Clint Bowyer
  12. Ryan Blaney
  13. Denny Hamlin
  14. Alex Bowman
  15. AJ Allmendinger
  16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  17. Brad Keselowski
  18. Michael McDowell
  19. Ryan Newman
  20. Chris Buescher
  21. Kasey Kahne
  22. Aric Almirola
  23. Ty Dillon
  24. Parker Kligerman
  25. Darrell Wallace Jr.
  26. David Ragan
  27. Austin Dillon
  28. Paul Menard
  29. Matt Kenseth
  30. Jimmie Johnson
  31. Landon Cassill
  32. Ross Chastain
  33. Matt DiBenedetto
  34. Cole Whitt
  35. Spencer Gallagher
  36. Josh Bilicki
  37. Joey Logano
The race was slowed by caution a total of four times, once for an on-track incident on lap five involving Aric Almirola and Ryan Blaney. The second accident caused caution came out for a smoking No. 32 of Matt DiBenedetto on lap 55. There were 10 lead changes among five different drivers with Chase Elliott leading the most at 52. 

Bubble drivers like Alex Bowman and Jimmie Johnson can breathe a breath of fresh air as someone already inside the playoffs took the victory. With four regular-season races remaining, Bowman holds the final playoff spot by +62 points over 17th place driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.. Paul Menard is 18th (-72), Daniel Suarez in 19th (-89), and Ryan Newman is 20th (-92). 

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Michigan International Speedway next weekend for the Consumers Energy 400. Kyle Larson is the defending race winner and he'll be looking to push his first victory of 2018. Elliott has been strong lately at MIS so he could be a threat for back-to-back victories. (Koelle,2018)

Photo Credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Images

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