The final lap of the 2025 Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta was supposed to be a big deal for some of the NASCAR Cup Series drivers on the playoff bubble, but nobody could have imagined the kind of drama it would bring as a group. Under the lights, Georgia-born Chase Elliott continued what’s become a familiar sight: racing for a victory, but this time with the added pressure of ending a year-long winless drought as well as trying to stay in the NASCAR postseason. The race had been chaotic already; a huge crash early in stage 2 wiped out a huge part of the field, including many of the championship contenders like Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Joey Logano. This opened the floodgates for drivers like Elliott to make the most of these opportunities.
The lead changed hands several times as laps ticked off, as Zane Smith, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Brad Keselowski all took their turns at the point. Keselowski, in particular, appeared on the verge of ending his winless streak, leading for a large and decisive part of the final stage. But on drafting tracks like Atlanta, more than speed, you need buddies to work with you. Fortunately, Elliott had the support of his teammate Alex Bowman on those final few laps. Although Bowman himself is on the hunt for the win, he opted to help his teammate, and NASCAR’s most popular driver appreciated that gesture.
Alex Bowman is a true team player
The closing laps set up a tense duel in the homestretch with Chase Elliott and Bowman in contention to take a shot at Keselowski. The result, though, would ultimately depend not only on raw speed but on how much teammates were willing to give up in exchange for the greater good of the team. A dynamic that would ultimately rob Keselowski of the chance to shine and inspire an admission from Elliott about his teammate’s help in securing his win.
Elliott’s post-race reflections revealed just how critical Bowman’s presence was. “I got just a couple really good situations off of four, and had a really big shove there into one,” Elliott recalled. “When I saw him in my mirror, I thought, well, you know, that’s better than somebody else. I know he wanted to wi,n too. But then yeah, you know, we kind of came off four. And truthfully, the situation that we were in was whether I was in front of him or he was in front of me, pushing one another was the only option there, because if we take each other too wide there, we’re just handing the race to the six, you know, so.” This candid admission highlights the delicate balance between individual ambition and team strategy that defines superspeedway racing.
“Whether I was in front of him or he was in front of me, pushing one other was really the only option there.”
@chaseelliott talks about working with teammate @Alex_Bowman to get the win @EchoParkSpdwy for @TeamHendrick. pic.twitter.com/u1yGC7JEWA
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) June 29, 2025
Bowman’s willingness to push Elliott rather than challenge him for the lead was the turning point. “If he and I did anything but push each other in that moment, we were giving the race to Brad,” Elliott stated after the race. Coming onto the white flag, the #48 Chevy gave a good old bump to the #9 Chevy, allowing Elliott to leapfrog Keselowski’s #6 Ford. Interestingly, Keselowski and his teammate, Chris Buescher, had been working together to fend off the charge, but with the #6 car out alone, the HMS Chevys made the numbers count.
Bowman not only bumped Elliott to the lead but also fought tooth and nail with the RFK Racing driver. Afraid of losing out on the lead, Keselowski had no option but to battle it out with the #48 car to defend his spot. The two drivers crossed the finish line in a photo finish, but the #6 car was able to salvage a runner-up position. Not ideal, but that’s how superspeedway racing is. And lucky for HMS, their drivers worked in sync and not against each other.
Brad Keselowski reflects on the lost opportunity
Brad Keselowski’s evening in Atlanta was defined by what-ifs and close calls. The RFK Racing competitor had spent 46 laps in the lead and been in sight of his first winning appearance of the season, which would’ve given him a massive lift when it came to the playoffs. Yet as the checkered flag was in sight, Keselowski was outnumbered and outmaneuvered by the Hendrick Motorsports teammates.
Keselowski’s frustration was palpable in his post-race comments. “He just had the 48 behind him giving him a huge push and nothing I could do to cover that,” Keselowski lamented, referring to Bowman’s car number. “When we had our cars linked up at RFK, we could do the same thing. But we lost that, and it was just kind of a two-on-one, and I fought as hard as I could.” Keselowski’s remarks underscored the disadvantage of racing without a teammate to assist in the crucial final laps.
The difference between Keselowski’s circumstances and Elliott’s was stark. Though Keselowski’s teammate, Chris Buescher, had been second to him midway through the race, Buescher fell back and couldn’t offer help when Keselowski needed it most. This set Keselowski up to be a prey for Elliott and Bowman to practice their mesmeric drafting and combining equally to perfection. It was a disappointing near miss for Keselowski, who faced an uphill battle trying to beat a two-car tandem by himself.
Chase Elliott’s victory, meanwhile, was an explosion of emotions. Ending a 44-race winless streak before his home fans, and celebrating in exuberant style, was a fitting ending to a night when teamwork and sacrifice trumped the difference between victory lane and disappointment. But with tracks like Dover, Daytona and Brickyard still in play, the RFK Racing team will be optimistic about their chances to reach the playoffs.
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