Chase Elliott expressed frustration following a collision with Justin Allgaier at Pocono Raceway during the Xfinity Series race on June 21. Both drivers made contact after battling at the front, which caused them to lose their leading positions, impacting Elliott’s chance to capitalize on a competitive No. 17 Chevrolet.
Starting from pole position, Elliott dominated the early stage of the race, leading the opening 20 laps—the longest he had led in an Xfinity race since 2015. He maintained control for a race-high 38 laps, positioning himself to potentially claim victory with just 13 laps remaining. However, in turn 1, Allgaier went loose and collided with Elliott, forcing both drivers to back off the lead battle just as Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch surged ahead.
Elliott reflects on the incident and maintains respect for Allgaier
After the race, Elliott and Allgaier discussed the on-track incident. Elliott acknowledged his respect for Allgaier despite the setback and regretted that the mistake affected what Elliott hoped would be a strong final Xfinity appearance this season.
“I have a lot of respect for Justin. We’ve always raced each other with a lot of respect and have had equally as much away from the racetrack too. I don’t have any ill will against him. I hate that he made a mistake with me there. Considering it, you know, it has been my last one for the year. The ol’ Hendrickcars No.17 is pretty fast right now, so I was wanting to cash in on that.” —Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports driver
Elliott ultimately finished the race in fourth place, securing a spot inside the top 5. This marked his second and final Xfinity Series start of the year. In his prior race at Darlington, despite encountering early damage, Elliott managed to finish second on the front row. Meanwhile, Justin Allgaier’s JR Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch claimed his second win of the season at Pocono.
How Elliott’s Xfinity effort aims to boost upcoming Cup Series performance
Chase Elliott entered the Pocono Xfinity race as part of a strategic plan to gain additional track time and preparation for the upcoming Cup Series event. By leading laps and competing at the front, he aimed to sharpen his racecraft and improve his chances in Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400.
“It was a lot of fun, just kind of leading the charge there. Being able to dice it up through the field and lead some laps and pass, get some good reps restarting races and being on the front row,” Elliott said.
“I mean I kind of touched on it a second ago, just the reps in those positions.”
For the Cup race at Pocono, Elliott qualified 18th and currently sits fourth in the driver standings. Despite his consistent performances this season, he has not yet secured a victory or confirmed a playoff berth, making each race a crucial opportunity to improve his championship prospects.