Chase Elliott’s NASCAR Cup Series playoffs journey this year has been a classic tale of high-octane triumph followed by a devastating misfortune. Entering the post-season, he faced some setbacks at Darlington and Bristol, which got the critics talking and doubting his championship caliber.

But he shut all that chatter, delivering a stunning, must-win performance at Kansas Speedway. Probably the most thrilling finish of the season, Elliott snuck past the leading owner-driver duo Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace to steal that win and how. Though that stylish win handed him his Round of 8 ticket, that cushion has evaporated with a sudden, painful blow at Talladega Superspeedway, the second race of the Round of 8.

Crash chaos at Talladega leaves Elliott scrambling for points

A massive wreck or the ‘big one’ unfolded on Lap 53 of the 2025 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, marking a pivotal moment in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The incident occurred near the end of Stage 1, involving several prominent drivers. The caution was called for Turns 3 and 4, with Chase Elliott, Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Austin Cindric among those involved. Justin Haley’s car was reportedly destroyed, and A.J. Allmendinger’s vehicle was on fire. Erik Jones was also a part of the wreck.

The incident was particularly damaging for playoff hopeful Chase Elliott, entering the race, -23 points under the cutline. Shortly after the wreck, the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s candid radio communication highlighted the severity of the damage to his Chevrolet, simply stating, “busted the radiator.” 

Amidst the ensuing caution period, driver Christopher Bell had a very close call, managing to dive to the bottom of the track to narrowly avoid the spinning and wrecking of cars.

Bell, who is also in the NASCAR playoffs, reported under the caution that he was dealing with his own issues, stating that his team’s iPad, a key piece of communication and data equipment, wasn’t working during his pit stop. Allmendinger was seen limping out of his car as he retired from the race, and Elliott was also seen going towards the DVP Garage for damage repairs, but later retired from the race.

Later at the pit lane, Elliott stated, “I kind of saw someone get turned sideways, kind of like normal. I was just hoping to get slowed down in time. And I haven’t seen it back, but I got turned sideways there somehow, some way… We had ourselves in a pretty good spot with the way the sequence was, and we just did not execute that well, I feel like, as a group, ultimately. We did put ourselves back in the back of the pack, unfortunately, and got caught up in the mess.”

Further talking about expecting the cadence of the race to be aggressive, Elliott reflected, “I mean, stage points are so crucial right now. Yeah, I wasn’t super surprised. Everybody was starting to get really aggressive, unfortunately.” The HMS driver now faces the ultimate pressure cooker: Martinsville Speedway, a scenario where only a victory will keep his Championship 4 dream alive.

Elliott faced a do-or-die playoff stretch

After a regular season marked by consistent top-5s and an electric Bristol Night Race win, Chase Elliott’s post-season has been a high-speed balancing act. Kansas and Gateway brought flashes of hope, but the Las Vegas race delivered a harsh reality check for the HMS driver, pushing him below the cutline just as the stakes peaked.

Elliott reflected on his Las Vegas performance, finishing 18th after a costly pit road penalty dropped him a lap down. “I think I find more relief than anything, and just our performance last week. I don’t think our result was a great indication of just the job we did throughout the week and throughout the entire weekend,” he stated.

Currently sixth on the bubble, Elliott knows exactly what’s required. “I feel like we’ve got to go win. Have really good opportunities to win, to carve ourselves out of the position that we are in.”

Looking ahead, Elliott’s focus is clear. He emphasized strategic patience: “I don’t think you have to get super crazy and wild to be smart and put yourself in positions to win these races.” With a strong history at the last two tracks of the Round of 8, but losing his chance at Talladega, Elliott’s ability to turn pace into results in this high-pressure stretch will define not just his season, but his legacy in NASCAR’s most intense spotlight.