rifan muazinChase Elliott, piloting the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, secured his second victory of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season by narrowly holding off Denny Hamlin in a dramatic finish at Texas Motor Speedway. This win marks Elliott’s 23rd career Cup Series triumph and his second win at the 1.5-mile oval in the past three years, further solidifying Hendrick Motorsports’ strong start to the season with two wins, both attributed to their star driver.
Hamlin, driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, finished a close second, with Alex Bowman completing the Hendrick Motorsports sweep of the podium in third place. Tyler Reddick, who made a late charge with fresh tires, secured fourth position, followed by Chris Buescher in fifth. The remainder of the top ten was rounded out by Daniel Suarez, Carson Hocevar, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, and Ryan Blaney.
Following the checkered flag, Elliott expressed his gratitude to the Texas crowd, acknowledging his previously vocal reservations about the track. "Man, I think, first off, thanks, everybody, for coming out," Elliott stated. "You are awesome. Great crowd as always. I have not been a huge fan of this place, and I’ve made that very obvious, but you know, to continue to work hard, and I really think this is a testament to the whole team, but not just the 9 team, but everybody at Hendrick Motorsports." He attributed the victory to the collective effort of the organization, highlighting their resilience through challenging periods of the season. "We have not been where we’ve wanted to be throughout portions of the season. Man, everybody has just been digging in very hard, from the engine shop to Hendrick Motorsports to all the setup shops, to everybody at Team Chevy. Appreciate our partners with Napa and Prime on the car this week. Really cool to have them back. Obviously they’re coming to Charlotte races in a few weeks, to Charlotte." Elliott reflected on the surprising success at a venue he previously struggled with, noting, "Yeah, man, just crazy. You know, to say as much as we struggled out here to have won two races here now in the last few years is pretty wild. So just super grateful for all the people that helped make this possible. Yeah, looking forward to celebrating with them."
The race unfolded in three distinct stages, each marked by strategic battles, unexpected incidents, and shifting leadership.
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Stage 1: Hocevar Leads Early, Bell’s Race Ends Prematurely
The opening stage saw Carson Hocevar, starting from pole in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, take an early lead. However, his advantage was short-lived as Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe quickly moved to the front approximately 20 laps into the race. During the initial green-flag pit stop cycle, Briscoe executed a successful undercut strategy to briefly take the lead from Hamlin.
As the stage progressed, a fierce battle for the lead emerged among drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing. Ultimately, Christopher Bell, in the No. 20 Toyota, surged past both Hamlin and Briscoe to command the field. The stage took a dramatic turn with just 12 laps remaining when Todd Gilliland’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford spun exiting Turn 4. In a critical incident, Gilliland’s car slid down the track and made contact with the race leader, Bell, sending the No. 20 machine hard into the outside wall and ending Bell’s race prematurely.
Following the incident, Hocevar opted for a two-tire pit stop, gaining him the lead off pit road. However, five drivers elected to stay out, gambling for stage points. Erik Jones, in the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet, capitalized on the track position and held on to win Stage 1, with Hocevar finishing second. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Denny Hamlin completed the top ten in the first stage.
Stage 2: Pit Road Mayhem and Late-Race Drama
The second stage commenced with a duel for the lead between Carson Hocevar and Ty Gibbs. Hocevar ultimately cleared Gibbs to maintain the front position. A significant incident occurred when William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet spun at the exit of Turn 4, sliding down the track but narrowly avoiding a major pile-up. Joey Logano, in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, had a fortunate escape on that occasion.
Logano’s luck, however, ran out on pit road. While attempting to enter his pit stall, he slammed into the back of Cole Custer’s No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, which had come to a near stop. The contact also involved Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe. The damage sustained by Logano’s car forced him to retire from the race, marking a disappointing DNF for the defending Texas race winner.
The running order was further disrupted as Corey Heim, who had stayed out, inherited the lead. The stage was marked by another incident when Ty Gibbs spun and hit the wall after contact from Ryan Preece. Heim continued to lead until he was forced to pit, handing the lead to Chase Elliott. With only a few laps remaining in the stage, Kyle Larson spun and hit the wall in Turn 2.
In a strategic gamble, the RFK Racing duo of Brad Keselowski and Ryan Preece stayed out for a one-lap dash to the finish. However, Chase Elliott powered through the field to win the stage, followed by Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin. Keselowski held on for fourth, with Preece fifth, followed by Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher, Riley Herbst, and Carson Hocevar.
Stage 3: Elliott’s Strategic Brilliance and a Late Scare
The final stage began with Chase Elliott leading Tyler Reddick. The field settled into a rhythm until a round of green-flag pit stops commenced with approximately 60 laps remaining. During this cycle, Ross Chastain, who had climbed into the top ten, was penalized for speeding, impacting his day.
Elliott reclaimed the lead with 29 laps to go as Corey Heim pitted from the front. A pivotal moment arrived with 11 laps remaining when Heim spun and backed into the wall, triggering a caution that brought the entire field back together. This set up a critical pit stop decision for the leaders. Tyler Reddick, running third, was the first to pit, opting for two fresh right-side tires. Elliott and Hamlin, however, chose to stay out, as did eight other lead-lap cars. Reddick restarted in ninth position.
The race resumed with just four laps left. Reddick immediately made a bold move, going three-wide through Turns 1 and 2 to gain multiple positions. Hamlin attempted to challenge Elliott for the lead, but the No. 9 Chevrolet managed to break clear, effectively securing the race victory.
As the field approached the white flag, Kyle Busch and John-Hunter Nemechek tangled, resulting in the No. 42 Chevrolet crashing. However, the race remained under green-flag conditions as Nemechek managed to get his car off the racing surface. Chase Elliott crossed the finish line under green to claim the win, his second of the season and his 23rd career victory.
The strong performance at Texas Motor Speedway underscores Hendrick Motorsports’ current form, with Chase Elliott leading the charge. The team will look to carry this momentum into upcoming races as the 2026 season continues.
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