Chase Elliott came to Richmond with a bold plan and playoff dreams. But pit road had other ideas, and so did Kyle Busch. One penalty and one wreck later, Elliott’s night ended in heartbreak and his title hopes took a major hit.

The 2024 Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway was a rollercoaster for Elliott, and not the fun kind. The No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports driver rolled the dice with a bold strategy, skipping a Stage 1 pit stop while most of the field, like Alex Bowman and Justin Haley, swapped tires.

The plan was to save a fresh set for the final laps, banking on late-race speed to make up ground on Richmond’s tight, 0.75-mile oval. It was vintage Elliott, playing the long game with confidence. But pit road had other ideas. When Elliott finally dove in during the stage break, his car clipp

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