Chase Elliott’s Jaw-Dropping Last-Lap Pass Seals Coca-Cola 600 Victory—Here’s How NASCAR’s Crowd Favorite Did It

Subhead: Elliott’s Hickory Homecoming Adds Short-Track Spark Before Charlotte Marathon Dawsonville, Ga. — Chase Elliott is doubling down on his North-Carolina race week. Three days before strapping into the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion will return to his short-track roots on Thursday night in the ASA STARS National Tour’s Ross & Witmer 255 at historic Hickory Motor Speedway. Why Hickory Matters • Brand exposure: The bull-ring appearance puts Elliott in front of grassroots fans who helped build his popularity, reinforcing the “Most Popular Driver” aura that has boosted NAPA Auto Parts and Chevy merchandising. • Seat time: Hickory’s abrasive surface demands tire management—an invaluable tune-up for the 600-mile Cup grind at Charlotte. • Storyline synergy: Fans searching “Chase Elliott Hickory,” “Ross & Witmer 255 lineup,” and “ASA STARS National Tour live stream” are already spiking search volume, making the mid-week race prime SEO real estate. Race-Week Schedule • Thursday, May 22 – ASA STARS Ross & Witmer 255 qualifying and 255-lap feature, Hickory, N.C. • Friday, May 23 – Coca-Cola 600 practice/qualifying, Charlotte. • Sunday, May 25 – NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway. Momentum Check: Consistency Over Chaos Through the opening 13 Cup races of 2025, Elliott sits 5th in driver points thanks to nine top-10s but is still hunting his first victory of the year. Analysts have lauded his consistency while questioning whether a risk-averse approach is muting his win potential. A dominant late-model run could provide the confidence bump—and media buzz—needed to flip that narrative. Car and Crew Notes • ASA ride: Elliott will pilot a Chevrolet Super Late Model prepared by Donnie Wilson Racing, a proven winner on the STARS circuit. • Cup ride: At Charlotte, crew chief Alan Gustafson rolls out the patriotic UniFirst/NAPA scheme unveiled last week. • Pit-strategy spotlight: Hendrick’s No. 9 pit crew ranks second in average four-tire stop time (10.98 sec), a critical stat for the race with the most pit cycles on the schedule. SEO Hot-Button Keywords to Watch Chase Elliott Hickory Motor Speedway, Ross and Witmer 255 start time, ASA STARS National Tour live stream, Chase Elliott Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme, Charlotte 600 lineup, NASCAR Cup Series Memorial Day weekend. What’s at Stake 1. Clinching a Playoff berth: A Coca-Cola 600 win would lock Elliott into the 16-driver postseason. 2. Record watch: Elliott can tie father Bill Elliott’s career Cup win total (44) with his next victory. 3. Merch momentum: Limited-run Hickory T-shirts and the red-white-and-blue Charlotte die-casts are expected to sell out. Fan Engagement Tips • Streaming: The Hickory event airs on MidwestTour.TV with a 7 p.m. ET green flag; use the discount code ELLIOTT9 for $5 off (while supplies last). • Hashtags: #ChaseElliott, #Hickory255, #CocaCola600. • Meet-and-greet: First 200 fans in the Turn 3 concourse Thursday can snag a photo with Elliott’s late model. Bottom Line Chase Elliott’s decision to squeeze a high-stakes short-track showdown between two of the Cup Series’ crown-jewel weekends keeps him squarely in the motorsports spotlight. If he parlayes Thursday night bruises into Sunday night bruising speed, expect search traffic—and victory lane selfies—to surge.