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#9: Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro NAPA Auto Parts celebrates his win
(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Jockey Made in America 250 at Road America

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What happened?

Chase Elliott won the Jockey Made in America 250 at Road America on Sunday (July 4) after pulling away and leading the final 17 laps for an Independence Day victory.

Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers.

How did it happen?

Pole sitter William Byron jumped out to an early lead while being followed by Kyle Larson and AJ Allmendinger. The No. 24 stayed out front for three laps before the first caution, when Daniel Suarez stalled on the track due to a transmission issue.

The race resumed with 10 laps to go in stage one, as Byron continued to pace the field. Ryan Preece’s engine expired midway through the run, but he was able to pull off the track before dropping any fluid so the race stayed green.

With three laps left in the stage, Kyle Tilley spun off course and got stuck in the sand. Nine drivers pitted just before the caution came out, so they gained track position after pit stops. The caution caused the stage to end under yellow, with Byron winning his third stage of the year.

Martin Truex Jr. and Matt DiBenedetto led on the restart until Austin Cindric took it three-wide into turn 1 and got the top spot.

He led two laps before DiBenedetto regained the position. The two exchanged the spot again just a few laps later before Cindric suffered a mechanical problem and was forced to the garage. Kyle Busch got the lead with six to go in stage two and held it until pitting with three to go under green. After Busch surrendered the lead and Truex gave up second, Tyler Reddick took the spot and won his first stage of the season.

Seventeen cars pitted before the stage ended, with Busch, Elliott and DiBenedetto out front. Busch pulled ahead on the start but DiBenedetto quickly got the lead on the first lap of the run with 30 to go in the race. Elliott slowly worked his way back up from third, passing Busch with 28 to go and DiBenedetto for the lead with 25 to go. Elliott pulled away from his competitors before a caution with 20 laps to go when Anthony Alfredo got stuck in the sand.

Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola had pitted during the caution and restarted in the lead ahead of Busch, Hamlin and Elliott. On the restart, Elliott went from fifth to first in less than a lap.

With six to go, Alex Bowman’s brakes locked up entering a corner and he collided with Larson while battling for fourth. Larson spun and Bowman had a tire rub, forcing him to pit under green as Elliott stretched his lead on Busch and Bell to over five seconds. The race stayed green and Elliott remained unchallenged, winning his second race of the season and 13th of his career.

Who stood out?

Last week I told you Elliott needed to avoid a summer slump after three straight finishes outside the top 10. This week he led the most laps and won the race. It was another stellar road course performance for the man who has been so dominant on these tracks. He’s now won at two new tracks this season (COTA, Road America) after winning the first race at the Daytona International Speedway road course last season. Even after reportedly saying he “wasn’t good” on Sunday morning and starting 34th, Elliott still whooped the field.

It’s been an up-and-down season for the defending champion, and he’s still right in the mix near the top of the standings. He’s one of just five drivers with multiple wins on the year and tied for third with nine top fives. The No. 9 is going to be in the mix for a second straight title this fall.

Performances like Sunday’s prove that Bell is capable of more than he’s shown this season. Since his win at the Daytona road course, Bell had just one top five and five top 10s over 17 races. Over the same time, his three teammates have won five races. It’s only Bell’s second Cup season, so the concern level should be very low. He clearly has a knack for these road courses and should continue to improve heading into his first playoffs.

DiBenedetto needs a win to save his season and Road America was a sign that winning is possible. Mired back in the standings and desperately in need of a victory, DiBenedetto looked like he had the car to beat at some points in the race. He led 10 laps at Road America after leading just 30 in the first 19 races this year. Finishing 10th may not have been the result the team needed, but the speed he showed throughout the race should provide hope. There are still two more road courses in the final six regular season races and DiBenedetto could be a factor. 

Who fell flat?

Rudy Fugle threw away Byron’s chance at a win with his strategy. The No. 24 looked great early in the race after winning the pole and the first stage. While some teams opted for the long-term strategy, Fugle decided to capitalize on stage points. That strategy worked for Larson at Sonoma, but it only really works if you have an incredible car. Byron was in line for a decent finish before driving off the track in the final run and crossing the line 33rd. Even if he kept it on the course, Byron was nowhere near keeping up with the leaders.

Fugle has transformed Byron into a weekly contender this season, so it’s not fair to completely knock him. He’s a rookie Cup crew chief and is clearly still learning some things. Still, it’s better to make these mistakes now rather than in the playoffs.

Keselowski rallied for a decent 13th-place finish, but his recent drop in speed is concerning. He was off the course multiple times this weekend and never appeared comfortable, while DiBenedetto was oddly the best in the Penske brigade. Cindric was also much better than his teammates before his mechanical issue, which isn’t as surprising given his experience at the track and road course prowess. 

As for Keselowski, Road America marked the seventh time in the last nine races that he’s finished outside the top 10. With rumors circulating that he’s leaving Team Penske after this season, it might be fair to start wondering if they’ll turn it around in 2021. A new car and driver are on deck for the No. 2, and the team could naturally start to put less effort into Keselowski’s final season there.

What did this race prove?

Elliott is going to obliterate the road course win record. His latest road course victory was the seventh of his career, putting him in sole possession of third all-time — behind only Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight). With more road courses on the schedule these days, this isn’t even a hot take. Heck, he could own the record as early as this year. If NASCAR keeps around five road courses on the schedule going forward (and it could be more than this), Elliott is going to run away and hide at the top of this list.

NASCAR should consider cutting the course at Road America under caution. If the sport continues to reject local yellows, cutting the course under caution is the only answer. When the caution fell with three to go in stage one, the timing of the yellow caused a lengthy delay. I know cutting the course changes fuel mileage, but it’s just something crew chiefs would have to calculate.

During the more caution-filled early portions of this race, it felt like we were yellow more than green. Cutting the course would save a ton of time and keep the focus on the green flag racing – which is where it should be.

Paint scheme of the weekend

Richard Childress Racing delivers the heat every year with patriotic paint schemes. This time, it was Austin Dillon with a sharp No. 3 Dow Chevy to honor veterans and active-duty military members:

Will we be back?

I think this one is an easy one: yes, for a few reasons. The racing was solid, as there were ample passing zones and different contenders leading throughout the event. The atmosphere seemed great, with a record crowd and beautiful weather for the holiday weekend. The regional market is important for NASCAR, especially after dropping Chicagoland from the schedule as Road America is the closest track to Chicago, a massive market. With that in mind, Road America should become an annual fixture on the Cup schedule after not appearing since 1956.

Playoff picture

Elliott joins Larson, Truex, Bowman and Kyle Busch as the only multi-race winners this season. There are still five playoff spots open for non-winners, with four of those spots creating a sizable points cushion — Hamlin (leads Larson in overall standings by three points, +352 playoff cushion), Harvick (+153), Austin Dillon (+98) and Tyler Reddick (+75).

The bubble is still tight for the final playoff spot. Kurt Busch (+25) gained 22 points on the bubble after picking up 29 during the Pocono doubleheader last week. Buescher (-25, was +50 four races ago), Ross Chastain (-69), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-70) and DiBenedetto (-74) are the closest drivers outside the playoffs.

Here’s a look at the full standings following Road America:

What’s next?

The Cup Series returns to Georgia for the second and final visit this season to Atlanta Motor Speedway. It will be the first time since 2010 that the track has two Cup races in a season. The Quaker State 400 will go green Sunday (July 11) at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

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