NASCAR: Chase Elliott penalized ahead of Dover race
By Asher Fair
Once again, Chase Elliott is set to start a NASCAR Cup Series race from the rear of the field, this time at Dover International Speedway.
In what is beginning to seem like a weekly occurrence, Chase Elliott and the #9 Hendrick Motorsports team have again been penalized ahead of a NASCAR Cup Series race and sent to the rear of the field for the green flag.
Elliott was slated to have started Sunday afternoon’s Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway in eighth place behind the wheel of his #9 Chevrolet as a result of NASCAR’s starting lineup formula.
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However, because of the fact that his car failed pre-race inspection multiple times, he is set to drop to the tail end of the outside lane and start in 36th place in the 37-car field.
Hendrick Motorsports confirmed the inspection troubles.
Due to inspection issues, the No. 9 team will start from the rear of the field today at the @MonsterMile.
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) May 16, 2021
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Elliott was sent to the rear of the field ahead of last Sunday afternoon’s race at Darlington Raceway as well, and he has now been issued this penalty four times through 13 races this season.
Going back to last season, when he was sent to the rear ahead of the Championship 4 season finale at Phoenix Raceway after having been slated to start from the pole position, he has been issued this penalty five times in the last 14 events — six in the last 15 if you include this year’s Busch Clash exhibition race at the Daytona International Speedway road course. Of course, he did manage to go from last to first and win the 2020 championship.
Josh Berry, who is set to make his Cup Series debut behind the wheel of the #77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in place of Justin Haley, is also set to drop to the rear. Haley was due to start in 29th place; Berry is slated to drop to the tail end of the inside lane and start in 37th.
Here is the updating starting lineup for the 2021 Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway.
Starting Lineup
1st – Martin Truex Jr.
2nd – Denny Hamlin
3rd – William Byron
4th – Kyle Larson
5th – Kevin Harvick
6th – Kyle Busch
7th – Ryan Blaney
8th – Chris Buescher
9th – Joey Logano
10th – Tyler Reddick
11th – Christopher Bell
12th – Austin Dillon
13th – Ryan Newman
14th – Alex Bowman
15th – Brad Keselowski
16th – Matt DiBenedetto
17th – Chase Briscoe
18th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
19th – Ross Chastain
20th – Bubba Wallace
21st – Michael McDowell
22nd – Daniel Suarez
23rd – Erik Jones
24th – Corey LaJoie
25th – Ryan Preece
26th – Kurt Busch
27th – Anthony Alfredo
28th – Cole Custer
29th – James Davison
30th – B.J. McLeod
31st – Aric Almirola
32nd – J.J. Yeley
33rd – Cody Ware
34th – Quin Houff
35th – Josh Bilicki
36th – Chase Elliott
37th – Josh Berry
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Tune in to Fox Sports 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET this afternoon for the live broadcast of the Drydene 400 from Dover International Speedway.