Elliott’s engine blew in opening minutes of playoff practice
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Chase Elliott had an engine failure less than five minutes into the opening practice for the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs. NASCAR’s most popular driver will have to start at the rear of the field in Sunday’s third round opener at Martinsville Speedway.
The engine made by Hendrick Motorsports failed after just five laps in Saturday’s first practice. Elliott’s No. 9 team replaced it, a change that’s penalized by sending the driver to the back of the field at the start of the race.
That make’s Elliott susceptible to dropping a lap down at NASCAR’s shortest track if his Chevrolet is not perfect at the start. The paperclip-shaped 0.526-mile oval takes under 20 seconds per lap, and the leaders could be on Elliott’s bumper in no time.
The round of eight began with strategical changes from Team Penske, which swapped the over-the-wall pit crews for contender Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski, who was eliminated last week. The jackman and a tire carrier from Blaney’s crew went to reigning series champion Joey Logano.
Kevin Harvick felt the lingering effects from Stewart-Haas Racing’s poor weekend at Kansas, where the No. 4 Ford failed inspection three times and was issued a 30-minute practice hold Saturday. It gave the team time for just 25 laps in the morning during an abbreviated two-day NASCAR weekend.
Teams have one more Saturday practice, then qualify after the Truck Series race. The race is Sunday afternoon.
