Chase Elliott Wins 2022 Ally 400 Despite Multiple Weather Delays And Lead Changes

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Chase Elliott celebrating his 2022 Ally 400 win with his pit crew in Victory Lane. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Superspeedway

After and exciting weekend of racing, Sunday’s Ally 400 lasted almost seven hours due to multiple weather delays at the Nashville Superspeedway but ended with Chase Elliott victoriously lifting the Gibson guitar trophy.

“So proud of our team,” Elliott said post race. “It was a long, fun day. It’s nice to get going in the right direction. I’m looking forward to that guitar.”

Elliott made some brilliant moves to fight his way into the top five. He beat all the top Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota’s to take first place where he led 42 laps.

A caution was called with nine laps to go and many drivers made last second pit stops. The field was scrambled and many drivers who were in the top 10 fell back and vise versa. But Elliott held his own to win the race.

The race was an exciting one which started off with Denny Hamlin on pole. But it didn’t take long for Martin Truex Jr. to fight his way to the top spot and take command of the rest of the field.

At the 117th lap, a caution was called due to a lighting strike. The race was delayed a half hour due to protocol. On the restart, Ryan Blaney would find himself in first fighting off Truex but it would be Hamlin and Truex who fought for the first place spot.

Truex had a fast car all day and was fantastic on restarts as he retook first place from Hamlin to start stage 1.

A few laps were driven in stage 2 before a red flag came out due to a massive storm that came through and the race was delayed again at the 135th lap. The race wouldn’t start up again until 9 p.m. CT.

Conversations were being held for the possibility of having to stop the race. 12 laps were need for the race to be official, so there was a possibility of getting those laps in before another storm came. But the race went on to the end and 400 miles were raced.

Truex went on to win stage 2 and pick up major playoff points but Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Ross Chastain were fighting desperately for the top spot. It was here when Elliott made devastating moves for first place which he took with about 55 laps to go.

“We didn’t want to see that late caution come out,” Elliott said. “We were able to hold them off. This is big to win here at Nashville. It’s pretty special. I always try to enjoy these moments because you never know when you’re going to get another one.”

Truex would fall back and finish a disappointingly 22nd and Busch finished 21st.

The top 10 would round out to be Elliott, Kurt Busch, Blaney, Kyle Larson, Chastain, Hamlin, Austin Cindric, Christopher Bell, Logano and Harvick.

Justin Algaier waving the checked flag after his Tennessee Lottery 250 win. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Superspeedway

Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 was just as exciting without the weather delays. AJ Almendinger and Justin Allgaier would fight it out but Allgaier had the fastest car on the track, winning the first two stages, leading 134 out of 188 laps and winning the race.

“I’ve been coming here a long time – I love this race track,” Allgaier said. “I’ve been trying to get to Victory Lane here for a long time and we finally did it.

“That’s the best car we’ve ever had. We get to bring a guitar home. This guitar has been on my bucket list for a long time.”

Hendersonville native Josh Berry would start off to have a solid race starting ninth, finishing stage 1 in sixth and stage 2 in seventh. But a spin out in the 14th lap of the final stage would push him to the back where he finished a dismal 29th.

Friday’s Camping World Truck Series race would see Ryan Preece win the Rackley Roofing 200 for the second straight year after a dog fight with Zane Smith. Smith led 70 of 150 laps and won stage 1 but Preece would have the edge winning stage 2 and the race after leading 74 of the 150 laps.

Ryan Preece hoisting his second Gibson guitar trophy on victory lane after the Rackley Roofing 200. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Superpseedway

“We get a second guitar – I may have to start a band,” said Preece of Nashville’s famous trophy. “I just want you guys to know that a lot of this is built in the shop. These guys work their tails off. I know what it takes to win races and they give me phenomenal race trucks, so I’m just proud to be the one holding the steering wheel.”

Next stop for NASCAR is a trip up to Wisconsin for Road America road course for the Fourth of July Weekend.

Steven Boero
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