Elliott grabbed the lead for the time on a restart with eight of the scheduled 267 laps remaining, however it was nonetheless an extended street to Victory Lane.
Elliott needed to fend off Denny Hamlin on a restart with two laps to go, then fought off Ross Chastain on a pair of restarts in additional time earlier than lastly securing the win when the warning got here out when William Byron received into Chastain racing for second place.
The victory ended a frustratingly lengthy winless streak by Elliott that dates to the 2022 season, a span that included missed races for a leg harm and a one-race NASCAR suspension.
With the warning out and driving to take the checkered flag, an emotional Elliott stated over his crew radio, “I can not let you know, every certainly one of you, how a lot I admire you for sticking with me.”
Elliott, together with his nineteenth profession wins, turns into the third completely different driver from Hendrick Motorsports to win within the first 9 races of the 2024 season.
“Oh, man, I could not really feel any higher,” Elliott stated after the race. “Hooter’s has been a companion of ours for quite a lot of years now. It has been a dream of mine to pay respect to the late Alan Kulwicki. Driving this automotive to a victory and do a Polish victory lap – it is simply actually loopy how issues got here full circle there in that second. It was fairly emotional for me. He beat dad again within the day. Right here we’re sharing his sponsor and having a chance to win right now.
“I could not be extra grateful for this journey and form of the trail that hasn’t at all times been enjoyable, however actually have loved working with our guys. We have been working actually arduous and very well collectively. Like I stated, hasn’t at all times been enjoyable, however we have loved the battle collectively.”
Elliott stated he had not seen a replay of his race for the lead with Hamlin however did not consider he was accountable.
“I did not really feel like I did something tremendous loopy there any greater than anyone’s ever completed to me. Simply needed to run ahead. I need to take a look at it. I did not really feel like I did something to crash him. I feel simply the circumstances,” Elliott stated. “However nonetheless, apologies to him if that’s the case.
“Could not be extra happy with our crew. Boss (crew proprietor Rick Hendrick), thanks for sticking with me. Actually, actually happy with this. Recognize all the parents again residence which have caught with me and helped us get again on monitor.”
Brad Keselowski was second, Byron third, Tyler Reddick fourth and Daniel Suarez accomplished the highest 5.
Stage 1
Kyle Larson held off Christopher Bell by 0.931 seconds to say the Stage 1 win. Hamlin was third, Reddick fourth and Chase Briscoe ended up fifth.
Stage 2
Chastain stayed out on the final warning and was capable of maintain off Bubba Wallace by 0.613 seconds to take the Stage 2 win. Ryan Blaney was third, Erik Jones fourth and Briscoe grabbed fifth on the ultimate lap.
Bell spun off Flip 4 on lap 101 in an incident that additionally noticed John Hunter Nemechek and Alex Bowman wreck within the aftermath. Bowman was knocked out of the race.
Stage 3
Following the break between Levels 2 and three, a number of lead lap automobiles spit however Wallace remained on the monitor and inherited the lead. Larson, who was two laps down at one level, obtained the free cross and returned to the lead lap.
As the sector raced by Turns 3 and 4, Harrison Burton went within Wallace to take the sector three-wide and seize the lead. Wallace then received free, went up the monitor and hit Briscoe to convey out the warning.
Burton led Hamlin and Reddick on the restart with 90 laps to go.
4 laps later, Ryan Preece received into Blaney and despatched his No. 12 Penske Ford up the monitor and into the Flip 2 wall, bringing an early finish to his race.
Reddick led Burton and Hamlin on the restart with 82 laps to go.
A number of lead-lap drivers, together with Byron and Elliott, kicked off a remaining spherical of inexperienced flag pit stops with 55 laps to go to tackle new tires and gasoline to make it to the tip of the race.
Earlier than the cycle of stops was accomplished, Nemechek shot up the monitor and hit the wall arduous in Flip 4 on lap 229 to convey out the eleventh warning of the race. Those that had not but pit did so, turning the lead again over to Reddick.
Elliott went to the within of Reddick to take the sector three-wide and grabbed the lead on the restart with 33 laps to go.
On Lap 230, Hamlin ran down Elliott and reclaimed the highest spot as Reddick hit the wall and misplaced a number of positions on the monitor.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wrecked off Flip 2 to convey out the twelfth warning of the race and arrange a restart with eight laps remaining and Hamlin main Elliott and Keselowski.
Simply after Elliott moved forward of Hamlin on the restart, Larson hit the wall off Flip 2 to trigger one other warning and arrange yet one more restart with two laps to go.
Whereas racing Elliott for the lead, Hamlin spun and backed into the wall in Flip 4 to ship the race into additional time. A wreck involving Burton and Kaz Grala on the restart despatched the race right into a second additional time with Elliott nonetheless in command.
