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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 06: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, looks on during the qualifying heats for the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 06: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, looks on during the qualifying heats for the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Talladega was one of the most fun races so far in the 2022 season. The Next-Gen cars combined with the high speeds of Talladega made the fastest track even faster and even more fun and further added to the excitement. However, Talladega is also the “cursed” track because of how dangerous it really is. And, that led to a couple of crashes and wrecks at the track, with one of the scariest being right at the very last lap.
The wreck seemed to have started as the 23XI driver, Kurt Busch got touched by the #5 Chevrolet of Hendrick’s Kyle Larson. And, Kurt Busch lost control and hit fellow 23XI driver, Bubba Wallace. There were a few other drivers involved in the last lap wreck, one of them was Chase Elliott.
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However, Elliott’s incredible driving and the keen eye of his spotter, Eddie D’Hondt helped him avoid the wreck and secure a top-10 finish, as he crossed the line as the 7th driver.
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Chase Elliott’s spotter guided him out of danger
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The point leader in the 2022 Cup Series, Chase Elliott almost lost his car, as the final lap chaos almost got the 2020 Cup Series champion tangled up. However, his spotter, Eddie D’Hondt’s keen eye guided him out of the wreck wonderfully. Elliott was trying to make his way up to the top-5 as the 23XI drivers got tangled up.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 19: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, waits in the garage area during practice for NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
D’Hondt told Eliott to join the mid-lane, and avoid the wreck. We hear him say on the team radio “Come mid come mid. Wreckage, come mid, still, hang on, keep it straight, to the line we come.”
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Read More – Kyle Larson & Kyle Busch Explain How the “Equal” Nature of Next Gen Cars Made Talladega Race Tumultuous
All in all, this goes to show what a masterful driver Chase Elliott is. On top of that, the keen eyes of his spotter are a perfect match for Elliott’s driving style. In fact, Eddie D’Hondt’s eyes guided the #9 car to win the Cup Series in 2020.
