Team failed to make it through pre-qualifying inspection with enough time to turn a lap
Chase Elliott and the Hendrick Motorsports #24 team failed to make it through qualifying inspection in time. at Texas Motor Speedway Friday evening.
They actually made it through, at the last minute. Chase Elliott rolled out of the inspection station with 3:55 seconds on the clock in round 1.
After rolling out of inspection, Chase Elliott walked along-side the car. He was still putting on his helmet and preparing to get in the car. At the same time, the time was making final adjustments on the chassis.
When the clock stuck the 3 minutes mark, the team took a turn back to the garage, not the race track. Elliott began to remove his helmet. The team realized they weren’t going to have enough time.
Chase Elliott will start 34th at Texas Motor Speedway. However, the driver doesn’t sound too concerned with that position.
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“Everybody’s pushing it. You don’t want to get in position you’re not qualifying. Everybody’s doing everything they can to go fast,” Chase Elliott stated from the garage area as round 1 was near completed.
“We had, I thought a decent car throughout race practice. I was kinda excited about qualifying. You know, qualifying hasn’t been a real strong suit for me.”
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“Looking forward to tomorrow. We’ll try to have a good practice and get it driving good,.”
“Jimmie started in the back here in the Spring. It worked out fine for him. The guys that are good enough, you see them in your mirror in about a run and a half.”
Elliott is currently eighth in the 2017 NASCAR playoff rankings. He was primed to leave Martinsville as the leader. A late race bump from Denny Hamlin moved him for 1st to last in the playoff grid.
Related: Denny Hamlin vs Chase Elliott (Video)
Links
Chase Elliott | Martinsville Speedway | Texas Motor Speedway | NASCAR
