NASCAR News: Chase Elliott prevails in Kansas
Chase Elliott surged from eighth place in a chaotic double overtime finish to win the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway, clinching his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
In the final corner of Lap 273, Elliott’s No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet brushed Denny Hamlin’s Toyota as he powered to the checkered flag, crossing the line 0.069 seconds ahead. The victory marked Elliott’s second win of the season, his second at Kansas, and the 21st of his career.
“Everything lined up perfectly,” Elliott said. “I got a great push through Turns 1 and 2, starting with the 6 [Brad Keselowski]. A big run off Turn 2, the seas parted, and I kept my momentum. I wasn’t going to lift—we were both wide open at corner exit. Wherever I ended up, I was committed.”
Hamlin, who led a race-high 159 laps and swept both stages, battled power steering failure in the closing laps but held on for second. “Super disappointing,” said Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing.
“I wanted that 60th career win. The team gave me an incredible car, but I couldn’t seal it in the last corner.” With a 48-point cushion above the playoff cut line, Hamlin is nearly assured a Round of 8 berth heading to the Charlotte Roval.
Christopher Bell finished third, followed by pole-sitter Chase Briscoe and Bubba Wallace, who led at the start of the final overtime but dropped to fifth after a side-by-side battle with Hamlin. Wallace, driving for Hamlin’s 23XI Racing, was frustrated but diplomatic. “Two years ago, I’d have said something dumb,” he quipped.
“We were going for the win, and I hate we gave it to Chevrolet. Toyotas were fast, and I thought it was meant to be.” Despite the strong run, Wallace sits 10th in the standings, 26 points below the cut line.
The first overtime ended in chaos when John Hunter Nemechek’s Toyota sent Zane Smith’s Ford into the Turn 3 wall, causing Smith’s car to slide on its side, flip twice, and land upright. “It was a wild ride,” Smith said. “The 42 [Nemechek] drove through me, and I was sliding on the wall. Flipping down the track was violent, but our Speedy Cash Ford was fast. It’s a bummer.”
Playoff drivers Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick finished sixth and seventh. Larson holds a 54-point lead over ninth-place Ross Chastain, while Reddick is 11th, 29 points below the cut line. Brad Keselowski took eighth, followed by playoff driver William Byron, who overcame an ill-handling car for ninth. Shane van Gisbergen, despite a first-lap penalty for an inspection failure, notched his first career top-10 on a NASCAR oval in 10th.
An 11-car wreck in Turn 1 on Lap 217 ensnared playoff driver Austin Cindric, who finished well back and heads to Charlotte 48 points below the cut line, likely needing a win to advance.
CHASE ELLIOTT RIPS IT AWAY FROM DENNY HAMLIN AND BUBBA WALLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW ABOUT THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@AlwaysRaceDay pic.twitter.com/onSP4QLhHo
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) September 28, 2025
Hollywood Casino 400 Race Results
| Fin | Str | No. | Driver | Team | Laps Led | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 4 | 9 | Chase Elliott (P) | Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet | 24 | 273 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin (P) | Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota | 159 | 273 | Running |
| 3 | 5 | 20 | Christopher Bell (P) | Rheem Toyota | 43 | 273 | Running |
| 4 | 1 | 19 | Chase Briscoe (P) | Bass Pro Shops Toyota | 19 | 273 | Running |
| 5 | 7 | 23 | * Bubba Wallace (P) | U.S. Air Force Toyota | 13 | 273 | Running |
| 6 | 3 | 5 | Kyle Larson (P) | HendrickCars.com Chevrolet | 1 | 273 | Running |
| 7 | 12 | 45 | * Tyler Reddick (P) | The Beast Toyota | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 8 | 31 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | Solomon Plumbing Ford | 5 | 273 | Running |
| 9 | 11 | 24 | William Byron (P) | Cincinnati Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 10 | 24 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen # | Red Bull Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 11 | 9 | 1 | Ross Chastain (P) | Kubota Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 12 | 23 | 34 | * Todd Gilliland | Dean’s Dip Ford | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 13 | 33 | 10 | Ty Dillon | Draft Kings Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 14 | 21 | 71 | Michael McDowell | Gainbridge Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 15 | 15 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Body Guard Ford | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 16 | 10 | 43 | Erik Jones | Advent Health Toyota | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 17 | 30 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Freeway Hispanic Heritage Chevrolet | 6 | 273 | Running |
| 18 | 22 | 7 | Justin Haley | NationsGuard Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 19 | 29 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 20 | 27 | 41 | Cole Custer | Haas/Andy’s Ford | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 21 | 35 | 22 | Joey Logano (P) | Shell Pennzoil Ford | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 22 | 32 | 35 | * Riley Herbst # | Monster Energy Toyota | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 23 | 14 | 4 | * Noah Gragson | Beef A Roo Ford | 0 | 273 | Running |
| 24 | 37 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (P) | Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford | 1 | 273 | Running |
| 25 | 8 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | SAIA LTL Freight Toyota | 0 | 272 | Running |
| 26 | 19 | 60 | Ryan Preece | Kroger/Minute Rice Ford | 0 | 271 | Running |
| 27 | 16 | 3 | Austin Dillon | BPS/Winchester Deer Season XP Chevrolet | 0 | 271 | Running |
| 28 | 17 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Ally Chevrolet | 0 | 271 | Running |
| 29 | 6 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | Delaware Life Chevrolet | 0 | 269 | Running |
| 30 | 26 | 2 | Austin Cindric (P) | Discount Tire Ford | 0 | 269 | Running |
| 31 | 28 | 38 | * Zane Smith | Speedy Cash Ford | 0 | 266 | Accident |
| 32 | 25 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | Dollar Tree Toyota | 1 | 266 | Accident |
| 33 | 13 | 21 | Josh Berry | Menards/Dutch Boy Ford | 1 | 266 | Accident |
| 34 | 36 | 44 | * JJ Yeley(i) | PCNY Concierge Chevrolet | 0 | 261 | Running |
| 35 | 18 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Ram Self Storage Chevrolet | 0 | 236 | Running |
| 36 | 20 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | Action Industries Chevrolet | 0 | 216 | Accident |
| 37 | 34 | 51 | Cody Ware | Evel Knievel Museum Ford | 0 | 52 | Accident |
Average Speed of Race Winner: 123.106 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 19 Mins, 35 Secs. Margin of Victory: .069 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 9 for 48 laps.
Lead Changes: 20 among 11 drivers.
Lap Leaders: C. Briscoe (P) 1-19;D. Hamlin (P) 20-37;J. Berry 38;R. Blaney (P) 39;B. Keselowski 40-44;D. Hamlin (P) 45-83;C. Bell (P) 84-86;K. Larson (P) 87;C. Bell (P) 88-122;J. Nemechek 123;D. Suarez 124-129;D. Hamlin (P) 130-172;C. Elliott (P) 173-195;D. Hamlin (P) 196-221;C. Bell (P) 222;D. Hamlin (P) 223-255;C. Bell (P) 256-258;*. Wallace (P) 259-265;C. Bell (P) 266;*. Wallace (P) 267-272;C. Elliott (P) 273.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Denny Hamlin (P) 5 times for 159 laps; Christopher Bell (P) 5 times for 43 laps; Chase Elliott (P) 2 times for 24 laps; Chase Briscoe (P) 1 time for 19 laps; * Bubba Wallace (P) 2 times for 13 laps; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 6 laps; Brad Keselowski 1 time for 5 laps; John Hunter Nemechek 1 time for 1 lap; Kyle Larson (P) 1 time for 1 lap; Josh Berry 1 time for 1 lap; Ryan Blaney (P) 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,5,9,20,1,19,22,17,38,77
Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,20,5,9,19,23,22,1,12,48