Elliott, making his first start of the season with Hendrick’s No. 17 Chevrolet team, struggled from the start but was among a handful of teams that held a set of four new tires late into the race.
A caution for a spin by Ryan Ellis sent most teams down pit road on lap 171 of 200 but most did not have a complete set of new tires. Elliott did and with 17 laps remaining, he powered around Mayer – who was on scuff tires – to take the lead for the first time.
