2 Former Champions Start From the Rear After Practice Incidents

Two Cup Series drivers are heading to the rear of the starting grid for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick both sustained damage during practice and missed their qualifying laps.

Harvick had the more minor incident. He had a tire go down, which made him lose control of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. He was able to corral the stock car without hitting the wall or any other vehicles, but he damaged the diffuser on the way back to the pits. The No. 4 team had to take the Ford to the garage and work on repairs instead of preparing for qualifying.

Elliott, on the other hand, sustained major damage after a rear tire issue of his own. The No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet spun after about 15 laps, and he hit the wall hard by Earnhardt Tower. This collision destroyed the front of the stock car and forced Elliott to go to the backup.

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“I recognized it was flat, it was just a little too late,” Elliott told Motor Racing Network after exiting his stock car. “By that point, it started to come apart and you’re just kind of along for the ride. Rough start to the week. Missed the [Xfinity] race today and in a hole for [the Cup race].”

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Harvick Had Another Pre-Race Issue

The flat tire and damaged diffuser were the latest hits for Harvick’s No. 4 team. He also entered the practice session without a member of his team. His Ford failed inspection two times on May 6, which resulted in the loss of pit stall selection and the ejection of a team member.

Michael McDowell, Kyle Larson, and Alex Bowman all failed inspection twice and lost crew members from their respective teams. However, they were all able to post qualifying laps after making it through practice unscathed. Larson, in particular, posted the second-fastest lap while McDowell and Bowman secured spots on the eighth row.

Harvick will have to rebound from both issues in order to pursue his first win of the year. He will do so at a track where he has three previous wins (2014, two in 2020). Harvick also has 17 total top-10 finishes at The Lady in Black.

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Elliott Has Won After Previous Rough Starts

Dropping to the field is never ideal, but Elliott has rebounded in the past. He has won multiple times after starting from the rear of the field, including the biggest race of his Cup Series career.

The driver of the No. 9 failed pre-race inspection twice prior to the championship race at Phoenix in 2020. He had to drop to the rear of the field while fellow contenders Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano started at the front of the pack.

The issue didn’t disrupt Elliott much. He was able to take the lead on the 79th lap. He spent a considerable amount of time at the front of the pack during the championship race, and he led a total of 153 laps before winning the race and the first Cup Series title of his career.

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