Chase Elliott's Heartbreak: A Daytona 500 Tale of Frustration and Near Misses
In a stunning twist of fate at the Daytona 500, the hopes of Chase Elliott and his legion of fans were dashed in the final moments of the race, leaving a palpable sense of disappointment echoing through the stands and pit area alike. The iconic 2.5-mile superspeedway, known for its unpredictable nature and rapid lead changes, played host to a chaotic season opener that left more than just one driver reeling.
Chase Elliott, the beloved No. 9 driver for Hendrick Motorsports, started the race with high expectations, launching from the fourth position. As the laps dwindled, the excitement reached a fever pitch when he surged to the front, leading the race off Turn 4 and seemingly on the brink of victory. But just as the checkered flag loomed, fate had other plans. “It was, you know, pretty disappointing,” Elliott lamented in a post-race interview, his voice tinged with frustration. “I mean, I don’t know what else to tell you other than we were leading the Daytona 500 off of turn four coming to the checkered flag, and we didn’t win.”
With a push from fellow racer Zane Smith, Elliott appeared poised to secure his place in history. However, Tyler Reddick, aided by Riley Herbst’s push, executed a daring maneuver that left Elliott in the dust as chaos erupted on the track. Just as fans held their breath in anticipation of a thrilling finish, a collision ignited a massive wreck that ensnared Elliott in its wake. Herbst’s Toyota clipped Elliott’s Chevy, sending the number 9 careening into the outside wall, a devastating end to what could have been a triumphant moment.
The disappointment didn't stop with Elliott; Jeff Gordon, the vice-chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, was visibly tormented by the outcome. His animated gestures in the pit box spoke volumes, as he threw his hands up in frustration, sharing in the collective heartbreak of Elliott’s team and fans. Elliott ultimately crossed the finish line in fourth place—the very position he started the race from—a bitter pill to swallow for someone who had come so close.
“I’m not the type of person that ever lets myself get there in the first place,” Elliott added, reflecting on the rollercoaster of emotions. “At the end of the day, that’s part of this style of racing. So, I knew we were racing back to the line. They seemed pretty keen on wanting us to race back to the line, or they would have thrown the caution, you know, a long time before that.” Despite the disappointment, he managed to find a silver lining. “Yeah, proud of the week. You know, I thought it was a lot of good stuff and came out to the top five, I guess, for whatever that’s worth. Turn around backwards in, but yeah, just hate to be that close, you know. Such a big deal down here. Kind of sucks.”
Chase Elliott wasn’t alone in his last-lap heartbreak. Brad Keselowski, another seasoned driver, found himself caught in a whirlwind of emotions as well. With a staggering 60-race winless streak hanging over his head, the 2012 Cup Series champion was desperate for a breakthrough. Dominating the front row, Keselowski’s hopes were dashed when Riley Herbst blocked his path in a reckless move, resulting in another catastrophic crash. “The 35 [Herbst] just wrecked me out of nowhere for no reason,” Keselowski vented. “That was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. He had no chance of blocking my run. I had a huge run. I don’t know if I would have caught [Tyler Reddick] or [Ricky Stenhouse Jr.], but I would have liked to have found out, because my run was coming fast. And (Herbst) just wrecked us and himself. Pretty stupid.”
As the dust settles on the chaotic season opener, one thing is clear: the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series has kicked off with a bang, leaving both Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski reeling from their near misses. With emotions running high and the stakes even higher, fans can only wonder how these drivers will respond as the season unfolds. Will they bounce back from this heart-wrenching start, or will the ghosts of Daytona linger? Only time will tell.








