Chase Elliott crashes out of NASCAR in-season tournament semifinals in North Wilkesboro

Chase Elliott’s bid to win the 2026 NASCAR in-season tournament ended in heartbreak on Saturday night in North Wilkesboro. The 2020 Cup Series champion ran deep in the semifinals before a late-race contact with William Byron sent him to the wall.

What happened in North Wilkesboro?

Elliott started the 160-lap semifinal at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 10th. He worked his way up to third by lap 100, running just behind Byron. On lap 132, contact between the two sent Elliott spinning into the outside wall. He limped to a 21st-place finish-out of the top 10 and eliminated from the tournament.

Why it matters for Chase Elliott

This result ends Elliott’s best chance to claim the in-season tournament title. The format rewards consistency across three rounds, and a top-10 finish was needed to advance. Now he’ll regroup for the regular-season finale at Indianapolis on 27 Jul 2026. His team must fix the handling issues that hurt him late in the race.

What comes next for the Cup field?

The other three semifinalists-Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, and Kyle Larson-advance to Sunday’s final. Reddick leads the standings after Saturday’s action. Elliott will watch from home as his rivals battle for the $1 million bonus. His focus shifts to locking a playoff spot via points before the August cutoff.

Reaction and outlook

Elliott’s crew chief swapped tires and adjusted wedge mid-race, but the car never felt right. “We gave it everything we had,” Elliott told reporters after climbing from his car. “Just didn’t have the speed to stay up front.” He now faces a must-win at Indy to keep his playoff hopes alive.