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WATCH: How Chase Elliott Won and Kevin Harvick Was Knocked Out in a Nervy Finish in the NASCAR Race at Martinsville

Published 11/03/2020, 1:38 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

On Sunday, Chase Elliott won the race at Martinsville and secured his spot in the final 4. However, the same could not be said for Kevin Harvick, who barely missed out. Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski also join Elliott in the 2020 season finale at the Phoenix Raceway.

The scene played out when there were just five laps remaining, and Elliott had a comfortable lead. Meanwhile, Harvick had to carve his way up the order. Before long, he found himself hunting down Kyle Busch for the one spot that could guarantee his inclusion in the final.

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin was doing enough to keep his hopes alive, as was Brad Keselowski. Chase Elliott continued to dominate the field and win his way into the 2020 finale.

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The battle got intense for Kevin Harvick as Chase Elliott dominated

With two laps left on the board, Elliott showed no signs of letting up. Naturally, Kevin Harvick knew that he had to redouble his efforts, so he tried to close the gap with Busch. The only other way he could qualify was if somebody overtook Denny Hamlin, who was holding up a massive train.

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Then, the checkered flag waved for Chase Elliott, and it appeared that Hamlin was also safe. So, it was all down to Kevin Harvick and whether he could barge past Kyle Busch. With one corner to go, Harvick tried to dive-bomb the #18 car down the inside, but couldn’t make it work.

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Cue Plan B, try to spin Kyle Busch out and gain a free place into the final 4. Unfortunately, this was easier said than done, as he managed to spin the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, but also ended up spinning himself and negating his actions. So, while Busch did a full 360° spin and retained his place, Harvick spun and hit the wall.

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Now, all that Kevin Harvick can do is contemplate what could have been. On the other hand, he could head into the race at Phoenix with nothing to lose and try to help his fellow Ford drivers.

“Aren’t Won the Same Way Earnhardt and Petty Did” – Kevin Harvick Highlights Challenges of Winning NASCAR Titles

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Written by:

Dhruv George

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Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports, having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino.
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