{"id":57918,"date":"2026-05-03T21:18:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T02:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=57918"},"modified":"2026-05-03T21:18:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T02:18:52","slug":"elliott-learning-to-almost-love-tms-after-second-nascar-cup-series-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/03\/elliott-learning-to-almost-love-tms-after-second-nascar-cup-series-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Elliott learning to (almost) love TMS after second NASCAR Cup Series victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) celebrates after winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio<\/em><\/p>\n

FORT WORTH _ NASCAR\u2019s Most Popular Driver may have a new favorite racetrack. Or not.<\/p>\n

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April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) takes the checked flag after winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

An outspoken critic of Texas Motor Speedway\u2019s reconfigured and high-banked\/1.5-mile oval, Elliott marked a workmanlike NASCAR Cup Series victory in Sunday\u2019s WURTH 400 presented by Liqui Moly with a sense of irony.  <\/p>\n

\u201cI have not been a huge fan of this place, and I\u2019ve made that very obvious, but we continue to work hard,\u201d Elliott said after executing a lengthy frontstretch burnout in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. \u201cI really think this is a testament to the whole No. 9 Prime Video Chevrolet team. Not just the No. 9 team, but everybody at Hendrick Motorsports.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve not been where we wanted to be throughout portions of the season, but everybody’s just been digging in really hard _ from the engine shop at Hendrick Motorsports to all the setup shops and everybody at Team Chevy. It\u2019s just crazy. As much as we\u2019ve struggled at Texas, to have won two races here now in the last few years, is pretty wild.\u201d<\/p>\n

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April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) does a burn out after winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

Elliott, who is paired with crew chief Alan Gustafson, emerged from a restart on Lap 264 of the scheduled 267 to defeat Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing by 0.407-seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlan came on the radio and said, \u2018Two-time Texas winner,\u2019 and I thought, \u2018I\u2019ll be damned!\u2019 I would\u2019ve never thought,\u201d Elliott said. \u201cYeah, I trashed this place for years. I didn\u2019t like what they did to the racetrack in reconfiguring Turns 1 and 2.\u201d<\/p>\n

TMS was reconfigured and repaved early in 2017, with the original 24-degree banking in Turns 1 and 2 lowered to 20-degrees. The entry to those turns also was widened and flattened. The banking in Turns 3 and 4 has remained at 24-degrees, creating a unique setup balance challenge for the teams.<\/p>\n

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April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) crew celebrate winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIt was so fun for me,\u201d said Elliott, a 30-year-old native of Dawsonville, Ga. \u201cAnd there\u2019s some selfish opinion in that because I thought it was a really strong track and it turned into a not-strong track. Certainly, when you run better it grows on you. I think the fan reception the last couple of years has been really strong. I think the energy\u2019s been really good out here.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yeah, for as hard a time as I\u2019ve given it, for some reason it likes me and it loves me back. I\u2019m learning to come around a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2020 Cup champion, Sunday\u2019s win was Elliott\u2019s second at TMS and eighth top-10 finish in 16 races at \u201cThe Great American Speedway.\u201d Elliott\u2019s victory here in the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 on April 14, 2024 snapped a 42-race series winless streak.<\/p>\n

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April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; Confetti covers the winning car of NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) after the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

Recall that Elliott, who now has 23 career Cup victories, held off Hamlin to win the Cookout 400 at Martinsville Speedway on March 29. In fact, this is the earliest in any season that Elliott has visited Victory Lane twice.<\/p>\n

Elliott and Hamlin were paired again at the front of the field following the day\u2019s seventh caution period on Lap 258 of the scheduled 267-lapper. Elliott and Hamlin elected to remain on-track during the ensuing pit stop cycle that saw the remaining eight top-10 cars pit for Goodyear Eagle tires and fuel.<\/p>\n

When the race went green with four laps remaining, Elliott\u2019s restart easily cleared Hamlin coming out of Turn 2, with the cars of Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports, Chris Buescher of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing and series point-leader Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing in tow.<\/p>\n

\"\"

April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) addresses the media after winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cAlex gave me a great push, and I was able to execute through Turns 1 and 2 clear,\u201d said Elliott, the son of 1988 Cup champion Bill Elliott. \u201cIt was cool to get a win at Martinsville and now here\u2026a great testament to our team. Have to make the most of a great team, the boss (team-owner Rick Hendrick) at home wants to win. But lots of racing left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elliott led five times for a race-high 87 laps after qualifying 14th<\/sup> in the 38-car field.<\/p>\n

Hamlin, who led five times for 21 laps, knew he needed his No. 11 Progressive Insurance Toyota Camry XSE to be at the front for the restart, negating any idea of pitting. His options narrowed immediately when the race went green.<\/p>\n

\"\"

April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) celebrates after winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI could\u2019ve risked it off of (Turn) 2 and crashed both of us,\u201d said Hamlin, a 45-year-old resident of Chesterfield, Va. \u201cI thought if I had hung onto his quarter panel anymore, I just thought that I was going to end up hitting the fence. Just not quite what I needed. I got the first part of the restart really well just he got that push from the No. 48 (teammate Bowman) right there right entering Turn 1 and it was just enough to slow my momentum and pick his momentum up. Really close _ just not quite enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowman finished third in the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, followed by Reddick in the No. 45 Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota. Buescher, a former resident of Prosper, Texas, completed the top-five in the No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang.<\/p>\n

\"\"

April 3, 2026; Ft. Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) celebrates winning the NASCAR W\u009frth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe were all very close with the No. 9 and the No. 11,\u201d said Reddick, winner of five of the season\u2019s first 11 races. \u201cJust kind of spread out a little bit there. I was hoping I was going to have a little bit of speed late in the run to close and it didn\u2019t really happen for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll in all, it was a solid day. It was nice to go for it there with two tires (on the last pit stop). Just had a couple passes that took a little longer than they needed to and that was the difference. I don\u2019t know if we would\u2019ve got back to the lead, but I think if we played it perfectly, we could\u2019ve got second.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 30-year-old native of Corning, Calif., Reddick exited Texas with a 109-point lead over Hamlin and a 117-point advantage over Elliott. The series is headed for an unusual early-season visit to the Watkins Glen International road-course in New York State\u2019s Finger Lakes Region.<\/p>\n

For the record, Elliott scored back-to-back Cup victories on \u201cThe Glen\u2019s\u201d 2.45-mile, natural-terrain layout in 2018 and 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really proud of our team for the day that we had,\u201d Elliott said. \u201cIt was one of our stronger races in quite some time from restarts, to pit road, to race strategy, to me behind the wheel. Super-proud of our team for that. That was a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interviews:<\/h3>\n

Race winning driver Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) –<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cup Series race-winning team: Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports Jeff Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) –<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TMSCupGordonGustafson050326.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

NASCAR Cup Series Race – W\u00fcrth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY<\/b><\/p>\n

Texas Motor Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

Fort Worth, Texas<\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday, May 3, 2026<\/b><\/p>\n

                1. (14)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                2. (4)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                3. (9)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                4. (8)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                5. (3)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                6. (2)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                7. (1)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                8. (15)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                9. (37)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                10. (31)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                11. (18)  Riley Herbst, Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                12. (21)  Erik Jones, Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                13. (25)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                14. (20)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                15. (13)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                16. (12)  Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                17. (30)  Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                18. (38)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                19. (22)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                20. (6)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                21. (33)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 266.<\/p>\n

                22. (34)  Zane Smith, Ford, 266.<\/p>\n

                23. (5)  Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 266.<\/p>\n

                24. (35)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                25. (26)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                26. (16)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                27. (19)  Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                28. (28)  Noah Gragson, Ford, 266.<\/p>\n

                29. (24)  Josh Berry, Ford, 266.<\/p>\n

                30. (29)  Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 265.<\/p>\n

                31. (17)  Corey Heim(i), Toyota, Accident, 254.<\/p>\n

                32. (32)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 254.<\/p>\n

                33. (36)  Chad Finchum(i), Ford, 223.<\/p>\n

                34. (11)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 180.<\/p>\n

                35. (27)  Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 173.<\/p>\n

                36. (10)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, Accident, 110.<\/p>\n

                37. (23)  Joey Logano, Ford, Accident, 95.<\/p>\n

                38. (7)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, Accident, 68.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  136.315 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 56 Mins, 17 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .407 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  7 for 40 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  23 among 11 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   C. Hocevar 1-19;D. Hamlin 20-35;C. Hocevar 36-41;B. Keselowski 42;C. Briscoe 43-46;C. Bell 47-68;D. Hamlin 69-70;E. Jones 71-83;C. Hocevar 84-88;T. Gibbs 89;C. Hocevar 90-94;*. Heim(i) 95-151;C. Elliott 152-160;D. Hamlin 161;B. Keselowski 162-164;C. Elliott 165-214;D. Hamlin 215;R. Herbst 216;C. Hocevar 217-221;R. Blaney 222-226;*. Heim(i) 227-238;C. Elliott 239-262;D. Hamlin 263;C. Elliott 264-267.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Chase Elliott 4 times for 87 laps; * Corey Heim(i) 2 times for 69 laps; Carson Hocevar 5 times for 40 laps; Christopher Bell 1 time for 22 laps; Denny Hamlin 5 times for 21 laps; Erik Jones 1 time for 13 laps; Ryan Blaney 1 time for 5 laps; Chase Briscoe 1 time for 4 laps; Brad Keselowski 2 times for 4 laps; Riley Herbst 1 time for 1 lap; Ty Gibbs 1 time for 1 lap.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 43,77,47,54,19,8,16,9,24,11<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 9,45,6,11,60,7,17,35,77,48<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio FORT WORTH _ NASCAR\u2019s Most Popular Driver may have a new favorite racetrack. Or not. An outspoken critic of Texas Motor Speedway\u2019s reconfigured and high-banked\/1.5-mile oval, Elliott marked a workmanlike NASCAR Cup Series victory in Sunday\u2019s WURTH 400 presented by Liqui Moly with a sense of irony.   \u201cI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":678,"featured_media":57887,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11,13],"tags":[500,16,21],"class_list":["post-57918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","category-texas-motor-speedway","tag-chase-elliott","tag-nascar","tag-texas-motor-speedway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/32_1194a-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-f4a","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/678"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57918"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57923,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57918\/revisions\/57923"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}