Chase Elliott’s shot at victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was halted after a costly pit road error dropped him down the field Sunday, as a Chase Elliott pit road penalty forced the driver deep into the pack and damaged his hopes for a top finish. Elliott, coming in with momentum, was ultimately unable to recover after the incident derailed his race strategy.
Strong Beginning for Elliott at Las Vegas
The race at Las Vegas started well for Chase Elliott, who rolled off the grid from the fourth position. Despite a minor setback during his initial pit stop, he managed to secure fifth place at the end of the first stage. An additional spot was lost during a stage break pit stop, but Elliott remained in the hunt, holding sixth as he prepared for his second round of green-flag pit stops.
Pit Road Mishap Sparks Pass-Through Penalty
The pivotal moment came during that second green-flag stop. As Elliott’s front tire changer removed the right-front tire, it slipped away, rolling out of the pit stall with no crew member available to catch it. This violation resulted in Elliott being called back to pit road for a pass-through penalty, setting him back significantly in the running order.
“PENALTY: @chaseelliott will have to serve a pass-through penalty for an uncontrolled tire. He now runs 32nd, one lap down. pic.twitter.com/qTMj6nLZv3” — NASCAR
The penalty sent Elliott to 32nd place, one lap behind the leaders, dramatically changing the trajectory of his day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Elliott Battles Back After Setback
Despite losing a lap, Elliott competed fiercely for the free pass, maneuvering his way between Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick — the race’s front runners. He followed closely as they navigated through lapped traffic, eventually overtaking all the cars Larson had put a lap down in that stage and reclaiming his position on the lead lap.
Starting the final stage in 25th place, Elliott methodically advanced to 18th before making his next scheduled pit stop. He rejoined the race in 20th after pitting a few laps later than most competitors and quickly moved back to 20th as the caution came out for a collision involving William Byron and Ty Dillon with 32 laps left in the event’s 267-lap distance.
Chaos on the Restart Ends Elliott’s Rally
The caution brought on a wave of pit stops that repositioned Elliott in 18th, right in the heart of an 11-car wreck at turn one just after the restart with 23 laps to go. The chaos of the crash left him unable to improve his standing, and he ultimately crossed the finish line 18th, a result that did not reflect his early potential.
Elliott Reflects on a Difficult Day
After the race, Elliott chose not to provide comments to TRE but did share his thoughts with USA, reflecting on his strong start and the challenges that followed.
“I thought it was going pretty good for a little while at least. Started the day strong. Thought we had our balance in a really good spot. I was kind of happy about the way it was driving, everything. Unfortunately had a penalty on pit road. Just got back in traffic. I needed something pretty different balance-wise to be good back there,”
— Chase Elliott, Driver
“I probably missed a little bit on my first read. We only had a couple shots to try and help that, so… Yeah, I got behind on adjustments for the track position.”
— Chase Elliott, Driver
He admitted to making “a couple bad decisions” during the final restart, showing his frustration with how quickly his luck changed during the race.
Looking Ahead to Talladega
The race’s outcome leaves Elliott 23 points below the playoff cutline as he heads into the next pivotal event at Talladega Superspeedway. Despite the setback, Elliott maintained a steely resolve for the challenges ahead.
“Yeah, I feel fine. It is what it is. Everybody’s got to go. So you better learn to like it real quick because it will be here soon,”
— Chase Elliott, Driver
The Chase Elliott pit road penalty at Las Vegas demonstrated how quickly a contender’s day can turn due to a single pit stop mistake, providing a stark illustration of racing’s unpredictability as Elliott, NASCAR, and their competitors now look forward to Talladega’s crucial test.
PENALTY: @chaseelliott will have to serve a pass-through penalty for an uncontrolled tire.
He now runs 32nd, one lap down. pic.twitter.com/qTMj6nLZv3
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 12, 2025