Chase Elliott Sets Off Another NASCAR Celebration at the Dawsonville Pool Room

The siren that split the quiet countryside around Dawsonville, Ga. late Sunday afternoon signaled another record—unofficial, but interesting.

It marked hometown hero Chase Elliott’s third NASCAR Cup Series victory this year, the 16th of his career, and the first in nine tries at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Dawsonville Pool Room fires up the siren each time one of the Elliott boys wins a race

The under-caution victory in the Quaker State 400 over Ross Chastain put Elliott in the AMS victory column with his long-retired Hall of Fame father, Bill Elliott. On Sunday, they became the second father-son combo with victories at the 1.54-mile track, where Bill won five times in 62 starts dating to 1976. Dale Earnhardt won nine times in 46 starts at Atlanta and his son, Dale Jr., won there once.

The track’s latest race was among its best in several years. It wasn’t decided until Elliott went by Corey LaJoie on a restart with two of the 260 laps remaining. LaJoie, trying to scramble back on the high side, hit the wall in Turn 1 and spun across traffic, bringing out a caution. Since Elliott had taken the white flag, officials said the race was official after video evidence confirmed that Elliott was ahead of Chastain at the caution.

Behind Elliott and Chastain at that moment were a gathering of drivers with varying resumes: Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric was second, two-time career winner Erik Jones was third, then Ryan Blaney, recent breakthrough winner Daniel Suarez, one-time career winner Justin Haley, soon-to-retire veteran Aric Almirola, one-time career winner Cole Custer, and Rookie of the Year hopeful Harrison Burton.

After running the best Cup race of his 183-start career, his last-lap accident kicked LaJoie back to 21st, the last driver on the lead lap. He led three times for 19 laps, only eight fewer than he’s led in his entire Cup Series career.

“I’ve never had a speedway car this good,” said LaJoie, whose father, Randy, was the 1996 and 1997 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and a 13-time Xfinity winner. “I was up there all day long. I made my move at the end (to block Elliott’s path) but it just didn’t work out. Next time, I’ll be the one who makes the block. That ‘Hail, Mary’ of mine didn’t work. He made a good block on me (when LaJoie tried to regain the lead going into Turn 1.”)

Elliott dominated on paper, but was never seemed so overpowering on the track. He led eight times for 96 laps, compared to William Byron’s 41 laps in front, Chastain’s 32, Martin Truex Jr.’s 27, and Tyler Reddick’s 13. The other 51 laps were scattered among Cindric, Jones, Blaney, Burton, Denny Hamlin, and Ricky Stenhouse.

Not surprisingly—for many reasons—this one will be special for Elliott.

“I think for any race car driver to win at his home track is a really big deal,” Elliott said. “I’ve watched a lot of guys do it over the years, but we haven't really had a very good run here, so I felt like today was a great opportunity for us.

“What a car. I'm not sure we've ever had a speedway car that good. If we have, I've probably wrecked it down at Daytona. I feel like I gave one away last week (at Road America) and I’m really proud to come back and put on a performance like that.”

The last-lap block he put on LaJoie sealed the deal. “I knew he was going to have a big run (at the top),” he said. “I didn’t want to give him the bottom and I tried to give it one real good aggressive block. I felt I had enough room to kind of give it a second block, and he was just right there on the right side of my back bumper, so was far enough to the backside of the bumper to launch me forward. I hate I tore up some cars, but I don't know what you do… either go for the win or don't.

“I'm going to choose option A every day of the week.”

Let the poolhall be so advised.

Results

NASCAR Cup Series Race

53rd Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart

Atlanta Motor Speedway

1. (1) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 260.

2. (2) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 260.

3. (5) Austin Cindric #, Ford, 260.

4. (25) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 260.

5. (6) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 260.

6. (7) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 260.

7. (24) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 260.

8. (22) Aric Almirola, Ford, 260.

9. (18) Cole Custer, Ford, 260.

10. (27) Harrison Burton #, Ford, 260.

11. (9) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 260.