After 267 laps of racing and 7 cautions, simply 4 tenths separated Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin on the checkered flag as the 2 drivers completed 1-2 for the second time this 12 months.
It was a race with a variety of motion all through the sector and ever-shifting methods. Stage finishes have been hectic, quick automobiles have been eradicated in unusual methods, however in the long run, it was a number of the prime drivers within the championship standings all battling it out for the win.
Here is a take a look at the largest winners and losers from Texas:
WINNER: Chase Elliott for delivering Group Hendrick one other win
Watch: Elliott breaks down how No. 9 workforce managed the race
That is the earliest in a Cup season Elliott has ever reached a number of wins, and to this point, he’s the one member of Hendrick Motorsports to achieve Victory Lane this 12 months. The ever-consistent driver of the No. 9 is now third in factors, and knocking on the door of second within the standings. Regardless of beginning 14th at Texas, he led essentially the most laps (87) in a really spectacular drive. He by no means actually put a wheel incorrect, held off Denny Hamlin in a tense closing restart, and the technique from the pit field was on level even with the chaotic nature of Sunday’s race.
LOSER: Christopher Bell after surprising Stage 1 exit from the lead
Bell thought he had a automotive that would compete for the win at Texas, and for good cause. He led 22 laps early, and was battling teammate Denny Hamlin for the Stage 1 win. Nevertheless, that is when all of it got here aside as Todd Gilliland spun simply in entrance of the leaders. Bell tried to go low, however that is the place the spinning automotive was heading as Gilliland tried to maintain it off the wall. Bell obtained clipped and his No. 20 slammed the wall, leaving him with a last-place end and only a single level on the board. The disastrous exit dropped him 4 spots within the standings, making him this week’s largest loser within the championship.
WINNER: Erik Jones as the largest mover in factors after stage win
Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Membership, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., HYAK Motorsports
Photograph by: Logan Riely / Getty Photographs
How concerning the No. 43 workforce? Jones stayed out with 4 different automobiles close to the tip of Stage 1, and managed to hold on to safe a stage win for the primary time in his whole profession. These factors have been crucial in making him the largest mover within the championship standings this week, leaping for positions from Twenty sixth to twenty second. He additionally completed a strong twelfth within the closing operating order.
LOSER: Kyle Busch after nice day comes aside in Nemechek conflict
What a nasty ending to such a constructive weekend for the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet. Busch certified sixth, and ran inside the highest ten for a lot of the race. Nevertheless, after restarting eleventh with 4 laps to go, he ended up getting twisted up with John-Hunter Nemechek. Nemechek believes Busch cleared himself off his nostril, whereas Busch believes Nemechek got here down off the wall. Regardless, the consequence was the identical, and Busch suffered some injury. Moments later, he deliberately door-slammed Nemechek and wrecked him into the skin wall, worsening the scenario. Busch limped house to complete twentieth, a far cry from the place he was operating all day.
WINNER: Spire as Hocevar and Suarez deliver house double prime ten
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports, Daniel Suárez, Spire Motorsports, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Buescher, RFK Racing
Photograph by: Logan Riely / Getty Photographs
After their first entrance row sweep, many needed to see if the Spire automobiles may keep up entrance all day. It wasn’t that straightforward, as Carson Hocevar misplaced the lead early, and Daniel Suarez simply cratered down the operating order. Nevertheless, they persevered, and Suarez fought again to complete a powerful sixth whereas Hocevar was proper behind him in seventh. That is the third time Spire has secured a double prime ten in simply the primary eleven races of the 2026 season.
LOSER: Joey Logano after his race ends in pit highway crash
Logano went from feeling aid after narrowly avoiding a direct hit with a spinning William Byron to watching his day finish in a unlucky pit highway collision. Throughout a set of pit stops after a near-miss on observe, Logano was working his manner down pit highway when he came across a near-stopped Cole Custer, who was trying to squeeze into his pit field. Issues have been crowded, and Logano ended up operating immediately into the again of the Haas automotive, destroying each machines. Logano, whose final win got here at Texas one 12 months in the past, was unable to proceed, and completed thirty seventh. The DNF has dropped the three-time collection champion outdoors of the Chase in the intervening time.
WINNER: Corey Heim … regardless of late-race crash
Corey Heim
Photograph by: Logan Riely / Getty Photographs
It is unusual to rely a crashed automotive among the many ‘winners,’ however we now have to present Heim some credit score. The part-time Cup driver was making his tenth begin on the prime stage and his first at Texas. After qualifying seventeenth, he ran nicely, and ended up on an alternate technique that noticed him controlling the race by means of a number of restarts like a veteran, and main 69 laps! Solely the race winner ended up main extra. Sadly, his race got here to an finish late when he backed it into the wall. Even nonetheless, it was a glimpse at what Heim is able to on the sharp finish of the Cup grid.
LOSER: Ross Chastain for making an unforced error, spoiling strong day
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Photograph by: James Gilbert / Getty Photographs
Trackhouse was in determined want for day. Exterior of drafting tracks, Chastain entered the weekend with zero prime 15s. Nevertheless, he had an honest day going at Texas, the place he has completed second twice earlier than. Approaching the ultimate set of green-flag pit stops, Chastain was operating eighth and had the tempo to climb a little bit bit larger up the order. Sadly for him, he by no means obtained the possibility as a result of a expensive mistake. He sped on pit highway, ruining the day for the No. 1 workforce and leaving him with Twenty sixth-place end. Because the drivers immediately in entrance of him in factors additionally had dangerous days, this was an actual missed alternative.
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