WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Kyle Larson outlasted Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott on a restart with five laps to go and won the weather-delayed NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen International on Sunday.
Elliott had control of the race late, but a caution gave Larson a chance and he took advantage, moving Elliott to the left coming out of the first turn and pulling away for a weekend Xfinity-Cup sweep.
All was not lost for Elliott, however. Needing only four points to clinch the regular-season championship, he was able to secure that with his fourth-place finish at The Glen, a week before the finale.
Dawsonville has a reason to celebrate today!@chaseelliott is the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion! pic.twitter.com/CEaAQZocC3
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 21, 2022
AJ Allmendinger, meanwhile, finished second, with Joey Logano third, and Daniel Suarez settled for fifth, behind Elliott.
“I did what I felt I needed to do to get the win. I knew that was my only opportunity to get by him; I’m not proud of it,” said Larson, who won for the second time this season. “The restarts kept me in it. It’s good to get another win. Hopefully, it will build some momentum.”
The race began on rain tires with a single-file start, and pole sitter Elliott was passed early by Michael McDowell, who started third. But strategy played out as the race wore on, with Elliott, Larson and McDowell — all on a two-stop strategy around the 2.45-mile natural terrain layout — holding the upper hand.
Elliott regained the lead with 18 laps to go in the 90-lap race, and when the final pit stops were complete, he was just over 2 seconds ahead of his teammate. McDowell was more than 10 seconds behind, but a spin by Joey Hand in the first turn brought out a caution and bunched up the field for a restart with eight laps to go.
Elliott held off Larson when the green flag waved and quickly built a half-second lead, but a spin by Loris Hezemans brought out the caution that changed the outcome.
“Just a huge congratulations to Kyle and everybody on the 5 team. He did a great job,” Elliott said. “Seriously, they deserve it.”
Early in the second stage, Logano passed Todd Gilliland for the lead and Kyle Busch moved in behind him; but as the laps in the stage began to dwindle, Elliott was lurking in fourth, backing off near the end of the segment to save fuel. Logano held off Busch for his fourth stage win of the season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.