Chase Elliott eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026

Chase Elliott faced a disappointing day at the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday. The race saw the Hendrick Motorsports driver start 18th but make it to just 36th place. Despite an early lap of 47.546 seconds, indicating competitive speed, Elliott's afternoon took a turn for the worse. A major 12-car accident in the outside drafting lane on Lap 132 left him among the victims.

Although he managed to return to the track, the incident cost him valuable time, preventing him from recovering a competitive position. Elliott finished the 147-lap race, earning just two points, leaving him trailing by 218 points from championship leader Kyle Larson in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings. Despite being mathematically eliminated from title contention, Elliott remains optimistic, aiming to bounce back at Martinsville, a track where he secured a victory earlier in the season.