Chase Elliott was in a good spot to advance into the Round of 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway; however, that changed quickly in the Final Stage. Elliott tried to squeeze into the bottom lane, but John Hunter Nemechek gave him a massive shot. The No. 9 car crashed into the outside wall, ending his night and casting doubt on his advancement.

Elliott ultimately advanced after Austin Cindric's fire and Alex Bowman's inability to win, but it was a shocking moment that almost ended his championship hopes. Following the stunning moment, Elliott addressed his wreck with Nemechek at Bristol.

"[Joey Logano] got position on me," Elliott said. "I thought I was doing the smart thing just trying to get back to the bottom. I guess I thought I was clear back down in line. I visually saw the gap, so I just tried to get back in line and I got a huge shot from behind. I’m not sure if [John Hunter Nemechek] got pushed in there or he wasn’t expecting me to come back to the bottom or what the reasoning was, but nonetheless, it happened and it’s done.”

There was a brief scare within the No. 9 team, but Elliott has a spot in the Round of 12. Now, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion will focus on making the Round of 8 with three good tracks coming up. Elliott is capable of winning a race in the playoffs, and a Round of 8 berth wouldn't be shocking.

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Chase Elliott addresses big NASCAR Cup Series wreck at Bristol in 2025

Reporting by Austin Konenski, Motorsports Wire / Motorsports Wire

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect