Elliott Steals Kansas in Overtime Mayhem

Kansas Speedway isn’t usually the place you expect fireworks. It’s an intermediate, a cookie-cutter mile-and-a-half where aero typically rules the day. But this Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 wasn’t a clean, predictable aero game—it was a back-alley bar fight with bent fenders and busted pride. And when the smoke cleared, Chase Elliott walked away with the checkered flag while I was screaming loud enough to drown out the spotters.

The Setup

• Track: Kansas Speedway, 1.5-mile D-shaped oval.
• Race: 273 laps (scheduled 267, but two overtime attempts stretched it out).
• Pole: Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Toyota), lap of 29.987s at 180.078 mph.
• Weather: Blue skies, warm breeze, the kind of day where you know somebody’s gonna overcook the right front.
• Playoff stakes: Round of 12, second race. Somebody had to punch a golden ticket to the Round of 8.

Stage One: “Hamlin’s Gone, Boys”

Hamlin radio, Lap 15: “Car feels good here, keep it steady.”
Spotter comes back: “Yeah, you’re clear by six, make that seven.”

That was the theme of Stage 1. Briscoe’s pole lasted shorter than a beer in my fridge. Hamlin snatched the lead and checked out. Larson flirted with the outside groove, Elliott peeked under him, but the 11 car had horsepower to spare. Cody Ware brought out a yellow after eating the wall, but even that didn’t slow Hamlin. Stage 1 winner: Denny Hamlin.

Stage Two: Déjà Vu and Frayed Tempers

Bell radio after two-tire call: “We’ll take it. Feels fine for now.”
Crew chief: “Yeah, until the damn thing drives like a forklift.”

Bell had his moment, leading briefly, but Hamlin treated him like a speed bump. Elliott started creeping into the picture, Larson lurking, but nobody could touch the 11. Stage 2 winner: Hamlin again. His smug meter had to be pegged at this point.

The Final Stage: Kansas Turns Into a Rodeo

This is where the polite aero dance turned into a demolition derby.

Elliott started trading elbows with Hamlin, sticking the nose high in Turn 3, forcing the 11 to get defensive. Then, bam—Carson Hocevar looped it with 8 laps left. Caution. Everybody’s pit strategy went in the trash can.

Restart: Wallace out front, Bell outside, Hamlin and Elliott stacked behind. Wallace went full bulldog, muscling Bell, but the field bunched up like a Friday night short track. Caution again. Overtime.

Overtime Attempt #1

Wallace radio: “He’s pushing me up the track!”
Spotter: “Hold your line, Bubba, hold your line—nope, yellow’s out.”

Restart undone. Fans groaning. My beer halfway spilled. Reset.

Overtime Attempt #2

Chaos. Wallace doors Bell, Bell retaliates, both wash high in Turn 4. And from out of nowhere, here comes Elliott. Like a rocket. Like he saw daylight and said, “That’s mine now.”

I was yelling. My throat’s still raw. Elliott shot the gap, slid past Hamlin, and crossed the line 0.069 seconds ahead. Pure outlaw move. Pure chaos. Pure Kansas magic.

The Finish

• 1st: Chase Elliott — from eighth on the restart to the win. Holy hell.
• 2nd: Denny Hamlin — led 159 laps, fastest car, and got nothing but heartbreak.
• 3rd: Christopher Bell — stuck in the bumper cars late.
• 4th: Chase Briscoe — Mr. Quiet Consistency.
• 5th: Bubba Wallace — bruised but battled.

Big Picture

Elliott’s moving on, Hamlin’s fuming, Bell and Briscoe showed speed, and Wallace reminded us he’s not here to play nice. The playoffs just got nastier, and Talladega looms like a shotgun wedding.

Fireside Thoughts

When Elliott made that move, I damn near knocked the chips off the table. My throat’s wrecked, my neighbors are probably filing noise complaints, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. That’s why we watch. That’s why we scream. Because once in a while, Kansas turns into a warzone, and our guy walks out carrying the flag.

Cup Playoff Standings (Unofficial Top 5)

Next stop: Talladega. Buckle up, boys—it’s about to get ugly.