Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

By Reid Spencer 

NASCAR Wire Service

LEBANON, Tenn. – In a race twice delayed by lightning, Chase Elliott stole the thunder from a contingent of Toyota drivers who showed early dominance.

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

After a late caution slowed the action in Sunday’s Ally 400, Elliott remained on the track and led the field to a restart with four laps left at Nashville Superspeedway. 

Elliott pulled away from runner-up Kurt Busch and powered his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet across the finish line with a margin of .551 seconds. 

In fashioning his second NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season, his first at Nashville and the 15^th of his career, Elliott overcame a long pit stop on Lap 120 that dropped him to 25^th in the running order. 

“I’m so proud of our team,” Elliott said. “We had a setback about halfway, but we were able to get the NAPA Chevy dialed back in and get back in the mix. It was a long day, a fun day… I’m so proud of our team. We’ve had a pretty rough month, month-and-a-half. It’s just nice to get back going in the right direction.

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

“Getting a win is always huge. To do it in a really cool city like Nashville is even better. I’m looking forward to that guitar (trophy).” 

Elliott beat three Toyota drivers—pole winner Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch—who collectively led 250 of the 300 laps at the 1.33-mile concrete track. 

It might be more accurate to say that the Toyota drivers beat themselves by pitting during the 10^th and final caution on Lap 291, the result of a blown engine in Josh Bilicki’s Chevrolet. 

While Elliott and Kurt Busch stayed out under caution, along with eight other drivers, Kyle Busch, Truex and Hamlin all came to pit road for tires. Of the three, only Hamlin advanced over the final four laps, finishing sixth behind Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain.

Cars site covered on the grid during a weather delay in the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Kyle Busch and Truex ran afoul of heavy traffic on the final lap and came home 21^st and 22^nd, respectively. 

Hamlin, who led a race-high 114 laps, was out front for the first 41 circuits before lightning halted the action for one hour 27 seconds. After the resumption and two more cautions, Truex passed Hamlin for the lead on lap 66 and help through the end of Stage 1. 

Truex, who led six times for 82 laps, also won the second stage, but Elliott’s car came to life in the final third of the race. Elliott had a one-second lead over Kyle Busch, with Hamlin and Truex trailing in third and fourth place, when Bilicki’s engine failure caused the final caution with nine laps remaining.

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Kurt Busch’s only regret about his runner-up finish was not being more aggressive on the final restart. 

“I wanted to throw some fenders, but I didn’t get the job done,” said the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. “Everybody will be smiling, but I let them down. I should have come up with a better plan. 

“We were going to stay out no matter what, and I needed to start throwing fenders to move people around. I didn’t get after it, and I made too many mistakes and didn’t stick with our strength. I’m not going to say what our strength was, but we did a lot of things good. 

A general view of racing during the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

“We didn’t have one exceptional item. We’re second with our Toyota Camry. I want to do it over, but you don’t get those at this elite level and Chase got the job done.” 

The second lightning delay, which also brought rain and necessitated track drying, lasted two hours, eight minutes. It occurred on Lap 139, just 11 laps short of halfway. 

Austin Cindric, Christopher Bell, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick ran sixth through 10^th, respectively. Elliott leads the series standings by 30 points over Chastain.

Interviews:

Chase Elliott and Alan Gustafson (No. 9 HMS Chevrolet) – 

WWE Sheamus – 

NASCAR Cup Series Race – 2nd Annual Ally 400

Nashville Superspeedway

Nashville, Tennessee

Sunday, June 26, 2022

               1. (4)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 300.

               2. (19)  Kurt Busch, Toyota, 300.

               3. (6)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 300.

               4. (3)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 300.

               5. (7)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 300.

               6. (1)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 300.

               7. (24)  Austin Cindric #, Ford, 300.

               8. (9)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 300.

               9. (2)  Joey Logano, Ford, 300.

               10. (8)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 300.

               11. (23)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 300.

               12. (30)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 300.

               13. (18)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 300.

               14. (20)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 300.

               15. (5)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 300.

               16. (25)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 300.

               17. (11)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 300.

               18. (16)  Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 300.

               19. (14)  AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 300.

               20. (22)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 300.

               21. (36)  Kyle Busch, Toyota, 300.

               22. (10)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 300.

               23. (21)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 300.

               24. (33)  Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 300.

               25. (26)  Harrison Burton #, Ford, 300.

               26. (17)  Cole Custer, Ford, 300.

               27. (31)  Cody Ware, Ford, 298.

               28. (32)  JJ Yeley(i), Ford, 298.

               29. (27)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 298.

               30. (15)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 297.

               31. (29)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 297.

               32. (35)  BJ McLeod(i), Ford, 295.

               33. (34)  Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, Engine, 285.

               34. (28)  Chase Briscoe, Ford, 269.

               35. (13)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 262.

               36. (12)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, DVP, 49.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  111.22 mph.

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 35 Mins, 15 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .551 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  10 for 57 laps.

Lead Changes:  18 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   D. Hamlin 1-65;M. Truex Jr. 66-93;J. Logano 94-96;M. Truex Jr. 97-124;R. Blaney 125;M. Truex Jr. 126;D. Hamlin 127-129;M. Truex Jr. 130;D. Hamlin 131-150;M. Truex Jr. 151;D. Hamlin 152-170;M. Truex Jr. 171-193;K. Busch 194-244;C. Elliott 245-247;D. Hamlin 248-254;K. Busch 255-257;J. Logano 258;K. Busch 259-261;C. Elliott 262-300.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Denny Hamlin 5 times for 114 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 6 times for 82 laps; Kyle Busch 2 times for 54 laps; Chase Elliott 2 times for 42 laps; Joey Logano 2 times for 4 laps; Kurt Busch 1 time for 3 laps; Ryan Blaney 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 19,11,12,20,4,5,23,9,18,45

Stage #2 Top Ten: 19,11,18,9,45,5,1,4,12,34