Chase Elliott, the rookie pole-sitter for the Daytona 500, received significant damage when his No 24 Chevrolet spun while exiting Turn 4 on Lap 19 and skidded into the infield grass.
Elliott’s car had to be towed to the garage after the front-end plowed into the grass.
Trouble! @chaseelliott slides through the infield. #DAYTONA500 https://t.co/4ORlpmT5nV
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 21, 2016
“Just got turned around there off of four,” Elliott said. “Got in the middle and got loose. Lost it and spun out. I hate it for everybody at less than 20 laps in and have something dumb like that happen.”
The No. 24 returned to the race 40 laps down after receiving repairs.
The No. 24 had led the first three laps of the race before Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed him for the lead. Elliott was running in the top 10 when the accident occurred.
Elliott’s accident comes after many NASCAR drivers stated this week they’d like to see the removal of grass at tracks. Cars are at risk of receiving damage when the splitter digs into the grass.
Regan Smith also spun on his own right behind Elliott but didn’t receive any significant damage.
A couple of laps before Elliott’s accident, Kevin Harvick also got loose exiting Turn 4 and veered onto the apron but kept the No. 4 under control.