William Byron stated after the race that the accident was not intentional. The NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday saw the 2020 champion end his 42-race winless streak that began last year at Talladega. He managed to avoid several incidents that occurred around him with his smooth driving, which put him in the lead during overtime and secured the victory.
Chase Elliott did not cross the finish line first to win; instead, his victory came under yellow flag. During the second overtime, the No. 9 Chevrolet lined up alongside the No. 1 Chevrolet at the front. They engaged in a fierce battle for the lead and, on the last turn of the first lap, Elliott took the lead.
The HMS driver created enough distance between himself and Chastain upon receiving the white flag. Behind the two leaders, the driver who was fighting for third place managed to overtake the 2012 champion. The No. 24 Chevrolet then attempted to pass Chastain, but the result was disastrous.
Byron made contact with the bumper of Chastain, causing the Trackhouse car to lose control and hit the outer wall. NASCAR immediately called for caution and Elliott was declared the winner. Initially, the No. 24 car was awarded second place, but upon reviewing the finish, it was determined that Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford was in second place when the yellow flag was waved.
After being released from the track’s medical center, Ross Chastain politely declined to answer questions from the press about what happened on the last lap. Byron, on the other hand, spoke to the press about the incident and explained why he collided with Chastain.
He acknowledged that it was an unfortunate event and emphasized that it was not intentional. After the white flag was waved, he had a good run and hoped that his momentum would be enough to pass Chastain, but things didn’t go as planned.
While Byron and Elliott secured spots in the playoffs by winning races, Chastain is still seeking his first victory in 2024. He will be hoping to achieve that in the next race at Talladega, where he previously won in 2022.
