Elliott is in position to contend for 2nd NASCAR title following ‘surreal’ last-lap win in Atlanta
By CHARLES ODUM HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Chase Elliott couldn’t have picked a better setting for a drought-breaking win. Fans roared in approval after Elliott, the home-state favorite, passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap to end a 44-race drought by winning the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta on Saturday night. Elliott’s 20th career victory […]
HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Chase Elliott couldn’t have picked a better setting for a drought-breaking win.
Fans roared in approval after Elliott, the home-state favorite, passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap to end a 44-race drought by winning the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta on Saturday night.
Elliott’s 20th career victory pushed him to second place in the Cup Series points race, putting him in prime position to return to the top of the NASCAR world after winning his first championship in 2020.
Elliott earned a spot in the NASCAR playoffs with his first victory since April 2024 at Texas. He said he’ll always remember the win as a career highlight, in part because of the ovation from fans who chanted “Chase! Chase! Chase!”
Elliott, a Dawsonville, Georgia, native, climbed into the stands at EchoPark Speedway, formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway, to celebrate with the fans.
“It was, truthfully, a pretty surreal moment,” Elliott said. “Something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. … Saturday night under the lights, been a while since we won, just getting ourselves a win and advancing up on the playoff thing.”
It was his first Atlanta win since 2022.
Elliott has 594 points, 37 behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron, who has 631. A third Hendrick Motorsports driver, Kyle Larson, is third.
Another Hendrick driver, Alex Bowman, played a key role in Elliott’s comeback win. Bowman, who finished third, gave Elliott a push and then helped block Keselowski on the final lap.
“I’m happy for the 9 team,” Bowman said. “It’s a big win for him in his hometown. … I’m glad to have a Hendrick car in victory lane. I wish it was us.”
Elliott said he’ll try to repay the favor by helping Bowman join the other three Hendrick drivers in the playoffs.
“I recognize that he gave me a great shove,” Elliott said. “I recognize that he took his run on Brad, too, to try to get himself to second, which ultimately helped me as well.
“Yeah, those are all things that I remember.”
Elliott advanced to the second round of NASCAR’s new In-Season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament. With the field cut from 32 to 16 drivers, Elliott will be paired against John Hunter Nemechek when the Cup Series moves to the Chicago Street Race next Sunday.
A $1 million prize awaits the winner, and Elliott’s odds improved after Atlanta wrecks knocked out the top two seeds, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe.
Elliott wouldn’t be the first family member to win a $1 million bonus. In 1985 his father, Bill Elliott, became the first winner of the Winston Million as a reward for claiming wins in three of the circuit’s top four races at the time. The bonus earned the elder Elliott the nickname “Million Dollar Bill.”
Now the younger Elliott is a strong contender to become first in line for another $1 million prize.
“It’d be a really cool thing to win for sure and hope it works out that way,” Chase Elliott said.
Elliott’s victory drought came after he needed surgery to repair a broken tibia in his left leg suffered in a snowboarding accident and missed six races in 2023. He said the support of longtime crew chief Alan Gustafson was “in large part” responsible for helping him retain his confidence and reclaim his winning form.
Gustafson said the win was more important for the 2025 playoff race than for ending the victory drought.
“The points were getting tight for the playoffs, for sure,” Gustafson said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing. I think all the cars contending to win, I don’t think any of them had won. I think that’s probably the biggest thing we needed was that cushion.”
Saturday night’s win was Elliott’s third consecutive top-five finish.
“When you’re fortunate enough to climb the mountain and be able to stand at the top of the mountain with someone, that’s an incredible achievement, right?” Elliott said. “That’s something that (Gustafson) and I will always cherish and remember that we did that together.
“For me it’s really, really important to climb that mountain with the same people that we did the first time and know that we never quit on each other. That’s just a really important piece of the puzzle for me.”
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
(GMM) One of Ferrari’s top bosses is “discussing” the future with endangered Formula 1 team boss Frederic Vasseur. Speculation is still raging that Ferrari’s chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna (pictured) are so disappointed with progress that they are considering not extending Vasseur’s expiring three-year contract. So far, Vasseur’s superiors have stayed conspicuously quiet […]
(GMM) One of Ferrari’s top bosses is “discussing” the future with endangered Formula 1 team boss Frederic Vasseur.
Speculation is still raging that Ferrari’s chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna (pictured) are so disappointed with progress that they are considering not extending Vasseur’s expiring three-year contract.
So far, Vasseur’s superiors have stayed conspicuously quiet about the Vasseur topic – but Vigna was a notable attendee at the British GP.
“I like coming here and seeing the team united,” the Maranello based marque’s CEO told Sky Italia at Silverstone.
“I love being with the people because they are the ones who always make the difference.”
Vigna doesn’t hide that Ferrari has had various issues so far in 2025.
“Teams grow with difficulties,” he insisted. “Unity is strength and we have that at Ferrari – and I can breathe it in here.”
As for the intense uncertainty surrounding Vasseur’s place on the Ferrari pit wall for 2026, however, Vigna admitted he has no answer yet.
“He is the team principal,” he said. “It is July and we are discussing.
“We just had lunch together,” Vigna smiled.
Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Frederic Vasseur and CEO Benedetto Vigna in 2023. Photo supplied by Ferrari
NASCAR Chicago Street Race” with contract over, will race return to Grant Park next year?
3rd annual race weekend is currently final year of contract with city; electric vehicles showcased Monday, July 7, 2025 10:54AM The 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race is over and fans are wondering if it will return to Grant Park next year. CHICAGO (WLS) — Roads are reopening Monday morning around Grant Park after this weekend’s […]
3rd annual race weekend is currently final year of contract with city; electric vehicles showcased
Monday, July 7, 2025 10:54AM
The 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race is over and fans are wondering if it will return to Grant Park next year.
CHICAGO (WLS) — Roads are reopening Monday morning around Grant Park after this weekend’s NASCAR races and many fans are wondering if NASCAR will return to Chicago.
People came in from all over the country to watch Shane Van Gisbergen cross the finish line.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
This now marks an end to the final year of the three-year NASCAR contract in Chicago. But there are options included to possibly extend the race to 2026 and 2027.
RELATED: Street closures for Chicago NASCAR race
Over the past few years, Chicagoans have complained about the traffic caused due to the race. But this year the traffic changes that were made by the city has people wanting to see the race here again.
“It’s worth it, absolutely,” Chicago resident Kashif Charania said. “I love being in Chicago for all of these types of events, just the culture, everything is great.”
Discussions between NASCAR and the city are expected to begin now that race weekend is over.
Danica Patrick shares her lower back tattoo with unique meaning
Danica Patrick has been celebrating the July 4th weekend with friends and family, and she took the opportunity to share the meaning behind her unique tattoo on her lower back Danica Patrick enjoyed a successful career in motorsports(Image: Getty Images) Former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick has opened up about the personal significance of […]
Danica Patrick has been celebrating the July 4th weekend with friends and family, and she took the opportunity to share the meaning behind her unique tattoo on her lower back
Danica Patrick enjoyed a successful career in motorsports(Image: Getty Images)
Former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick has opened up about the personal significance of her American and racing checkered flag tattoo located on her lower back as she celebrated Independence Day.
The 43-year-old, who is a huge fan of United States President Donald Trump and recently visited the White House, posted an intimate snapshot of the ink that pays tribute to both her homeland and racing career.
After spending three years as a teenager in the United Kingdom, Patrick returned to the United States and commemorated her homecoming with the tattoo. She revealed the ink just days after making her feelings clear about being a “sex symbol” in NASCAR.
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“I got that American / checkered flag tattoo (no Picasso) when I came back from living in the uk for 3 years from 16-19… Because I was proud and grateful to be home. Thank you to those who make safe and free,” Patrick shared on Instagram.
Though she hung up her racing helmet in 2018, Patrick hasn’t completely left the world of motorsports. She engages in various pursuits and business endeavors. As a pioneering figure for women in motorsport, she joined FOX’s broadcast team for this year’s Indy 500.
Patrick’s decision to step away from racing seven years ago was driven by a sense of fulfillment.
Patrick got the tattoo as a teenager after living in the United Kingdom(Image: Instagram/Danica Patrick)
“It just wasn’t in my heart anymore,” she told Nightline. “What I loved about racing was the chance to improve, to get better, to finish higher, and ultimately to win.
“But over time, I felt like that was becoming less and less within my control.
“I choose to focus on the positive. And I’ve had a really great career and I’m really thankful for it.”
With an amazing driving career behind her, Patrick’s financial situation is nothing short of spectacular, as Celebrity Net Worth flags her fortune at a cool $80 million.
During the pinnacle of her vrooming ventures, she was pocketing a reported $10 million a year, combining prize money and sponsorships.
Her branding partnerships boast heavy hitters like Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Nationwide Insurance, and Tissot.
Showing off her entrepreneurial spirit, Patrick has sped ahead with her wine venture, Somnium, which possesses a sprawling 24-acre vineyard nestled in St. Helena, California, known for its varied altitude, taking you between 1,000 to 1,375 feet off the ground.
Further showcasing her savvy, Patrick has dived into the fashion world with an athleisure brand named Warrior by Danica Patrick, thanks to a partnership with G-III Apparel Group.
NASCAR Chicago Street Race’s fate uncertain after third year – NBC Chicago
The 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race wrapped up Sunday, with Shane van Gisbergen dominating both events: the Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series races. For the last three years, the event has taken over the streets of downtown Chicago. But as the two-day spectacle wrapped up this weekend, the future of the race remained unclear. This […]
The 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race wrapped up Sunday, with Shane van Gisbergen dominating both events: the Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series races.
For the last three years, the event has taken over the streets of downtown Chicago. But as the two-day spectacle wrapped up this weekend, the future of the race remained unclear. This summer marked the final year of the three-year agreement, which NASCAR and the city of Chicago reached prior to the 2023 edition of the event.
According to the terms of the contract the two sides signed, NASCAR would have to request a date for the 2026 race within 90 days of the conclusion of this week’s events. While the race’s future is uncertain, at least one official is calling on the city to move the date from the Fourth of July weekend if they were to bring it back next year.
The race costs about $5 million to put on annually.
“July 4th is a very family-friendly weekend and we want families to be able to use the park july 4th, and this prevents that from happening a bit…” said Ald. Bill Conway, of Chicago’s 34th Ward. “But not only do we have to make sure that we are making this as convenient as possible for the constituents, but also make sure the city is recouping its cost of putting on the race.”
Businesses directly across from the tracks said they have seen a huge boost to their bottom line over the past three years.
“Between the races, it was pretty busy. Even during the race, there was people like lining up outside. Even just to get the sound of the race, it was really really cool to see, and there was a lot of foot traffic,” said Anthony Guida, manager of Fontanos Italian Café.
Why Tyler Reddick passing 15 cars in 12 laps wasn’t enough for a Chicago win
When the caution flew late in the NASCAR Cup race at Chicago, Tyler Reddick and the 23XI Racing team made the bold decision to pit from third on track in favor of fresh tires and some extra fuel. He restarted 18th with just 12 laps left, evading several spinning cars as he began his rapid […]
When the caution flew late in the NASCAR Cup race at Chicago, Tyler Reddick and the 23XI Racing team made the bold decision to pit from third on track in favor of fresh tires and some extra fuel.
He restarted 18th with just 12 laps left, evading several spinning cars as he began his rapid march forward. Reddick was up to 14th by the time the final caution of the race flew, leaving him nine laps to get to the front of the pack.
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After that, it was all precision from Reddick as he drove his way all the way up to third. If not for the race-ending caution, he likely would have gotten around Ty Gibbs for second place as well.
“Shane was just a little too far ahead,” said Reddick, who remains the highest driver in points without a win this year.
“When we did pit and put those tires, a couple cars got spun on the restart and we were just in the wrong lane and stacked up .. Lost time trying to pass them and then passing those cars on the older tires. Just part of it. Chaos on a street course at the end there, but I was really proud of our whole 23XI Racing team.
”This Jumpman Toyota Camry was really fast, it just – we needed that restart to go a little differently. I definitely think we had the pace to get to Shane. It was hard to say how much he was saving or not, but it felt good to have a shot of it.”
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Losing valuable time
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Reddick ended up losing some time avoiding the late-race wrecks, which could have been the difference between catching SVG and ultimately finishing third.
“I can’t name them all, but unfortunately, we kind of just got stuck in the wrong lane where I had to check up,” said Reddick. “Those cars that we were on the same tire strategy as I got behind, so we just lost a bit of time there passing those cars back.”
Reddick is now fifth in the regular season standings, but due to his lack of race wins, he sits an uncomfortable 13th in the playoff standings.
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He’s an impressive 142 points above the cut-line, but four new winners in the final two months of the regular season could still push him out of the playoff picture.
Photos from Chicago – Race
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Nascar electric cars
Nascar electric cars
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Nascar electric cars
Nascar electric cars
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Nascar electric car
Nascar electric car
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Nascar electric cars
Nascar electric cars
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
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Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
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Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
General view
General view
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Fans
Fans
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet
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Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford
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Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
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Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Logan Riely / Getty Images
General view
General view
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
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Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
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Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
James Gilbert / Getty Images
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Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
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Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
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Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
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Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Fans
Fans
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Logan Riely / Getty Images
General view
General view
Logan Riely / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Read Also:
Bubba Wallace “ran me into the fence” says Alex Bowman after intense battle
Joey Logano confronts Ross Chastain after Chicago smash-up
Shane van Gisbergen sweeps Chicago weekend with chaotic NASCAR Cup race win
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Bubba Wallace “ran me into the fence” says Alex Bowman
In the closing laps of the NASCAR Cup race at Chicago, a tense battle unfolded at the backend of the top ten. Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace were trading paint and slamming fenders in a dramatic battle for position. However, it wasn’t just a top ten on the line in this situation. Bowman and Wallace […]
In the closing laps of the NASCAR Cup race at Chicago, a tense battle unfolded at the backend of the top ten. Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace were trading paint and slamming fenders in a dramatic battle for position.
However, it wasn’t just a top ten on the line in this situation. Bowman and Wallace were also matched up in Round 2 of NASCAR’s new in-season challenge, and the driver who finished higher would advance into the next round. The prize for winning this tournament is $1 million, equal to a victory in the All-Star Race.
As the two drivers battled, there was a lot of contact that ended with Wallace spinning off the nose of Bowman. While the Hendrick Motorsports driver went on to finish eighth, Wallace ended the day in 28th as he was eliminated from the in-season challenge.
The two drivers shared a cordial conversation after the race as they talked through what happened on the track.
“I didn’t really expect it when I passed him [Wallace] and we got into (Turn) 12 and he just shipped me, and then he ran me into the fence in (Turn) 1, and ran us into the fence off of (Turn) 2,” said Bowman after the race.
“He’s just not clear. I don’t have anywhere to go. We’re going straight and we just got hooked together and he ends up crashing. I didn’t really feel like it was necessary.”
The impact of the $1 million challenge
Bowman later added: “I guess the in-season tournament is more important than I expected.”
In the end, Bowman is now one of the final eight drivers in a tournament that began with 32, and the last representative for Hendrick Motorsports. Bowman noted that the challenge wasn’t even on his mind at the time, and wondered if that’s what caused Wallace to race him as hard as he did.
“I don’t know if that’s worth driving into the corner and clearing the guy out and then driving him into the fence and doing all the things that happened there,” concluded Bowman.
Photos from Chicago – Race
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In this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Alex Bowman
Bubba Wallace
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