“I Was Going to Get Crashed!” Chase Elliott Sulks Losing the 2026 Daytona 500 to Tyler Reddick

Chase Elliott was close to making Daytona 500 history for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday, before a solid team work impressive driving maneuvers helped Tyler Reddick to secure the Harley J. Earl Trophy. It cost HMS the opportunity to score a threepeat and the racer the chance to get out the list of NASCAR champions without the 500 ring.

On the last lap of the race, Chase Elliott got a solid run, earning him the lead before Tyler Reddick caught up with him, with help of a push from teammate Riley Herbst. The No:45 Toyota overtook the No:9 Chevy by taking control of the inside lane, after the later blocked him move through the middle lane.

The No:35 then tried to make a move through the outside lane, made contact with the wall, lost control of his Camry, made contact with the bumper of the Chevy causing a multi-car wreck. This gifted Reddick the win, his and 23XI Racing’s first ever triumph at the crown jewel race.

Talking about the result after the race, Chase Elliott was clearly heartbroken and admitted that he did everything he could to keep his lead, before the No:35 made the desperate move that ended his race. He avoided a wreck by making a block earlier, only to get wrecked in the second time.

I just felt like I was going to get crashed if I had tried to throw another move on him. I feel like the best play for me was to try and re-rack and try to get one last shove to the line. But it was the 35, and he wasn’t going to push me, so… then he winds up crashing himself, not pushing me, which then in turn crashed me anyway. Maybe I should have just turned left, wrecked the first time.

Chase Elliott said via Toby Christie/X.

Chase Elliott knew he was most probably going to win the 2026 Daytona 500

Talking about the race later with TSJ Sports’ Noah Lewis, Chase Elliott admitted that he was at a disadvantage in the final lap and was expecting a momentum change to happen anytime. The pace of the No:45 Toyota was so much for him to handle at the moment.

We got way out there and I knew that probably wasn’t going to be good. At some point there was going to be a momentum shift. You just hope that things kind of get busy and another run doesn’t come along, and unfortunately it did. Yeah, I just felt like Tyler was coming so quick. I kind of blocked one direction and he went the other way.

Chase Elliott said.

He admitted that if the ad tried to block Reddick’s overtake, he would have spun out anyway as no everyone was going all out for the race win. Without the momentum or proper push from behind, it is hard to win from the lead at Daytona.  

Felt like if I had tried to throw another one I would have been spun out, wall or the inside. At that point nobody’s lifting, and I totally get that. Just obviously sucks to be that close there in the closing lap and have the lead off four and come up short. But I think the momentum had just shifted the other direction and it was just all defense and being on defense in the last lap is tough.

Chase Elliott added.

The comments from veteran racer shows he is coping with the lose by focusing on the fact that he didn’t have the support and momentum on his side. Chase Elliott and his team missed out on chance to make history, but they still have a lot of races to win in the 2026 season.

Also Read: “Best 500 I’ve Ever Had!” Bubba Wallace Bemoans Losing 2026 Daytona 500 to Tyler Reddick

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