Overview

• Qualifying at Richmond set Elliott as the top Hendrick starter in P5, while Byron begins P14 and Kyle Larson starts P30, creating a varied front for stage points.
• Byron emphasized flawless practice laps, clean pit stops and capitalizing on restarts at the 0.75-mile oval to protect his points cushion.
• Elliott’s 26th-place finish at Watkins Glen, attributed to a pit-spotter mix-up, ended his 23-race top-20 streak and expanded Byron’s margin.
• Despite the deficit, Elliott brings four top-five finishes in his last eight Richmond starts and a 10.7 average finish over 17 races at the track.
• Byron’s nontraditional rise from iRacing underpins his data-driven approach, contrasting with Elliott’s family-supported grassroots racing background.