Chase Elliott gladly took a top-five end from Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway, although the decision to remain out below the ultimate warning didn’t web a race win.

The No. 9 inherited the race lead when a lot of the leaders pitted below the warning with 19 laps to go. It was an incredible monitor place for Elliott, who wasn’t working inside the highest 10 when the warning got here out for Denny Hamlin crashing on the frontstretch.

However the lead was short-lived as Martin Truex Jr. handed Elliott with 14 laps to go, one lap after the race resumed and the HMS driver pale to a fifth-place end.

“It’s good to get a top-five, little doubt, so pleased with that,” Elliott mentioned. “We have been attempting to do one thing just a little totally different with technique. We had pit about six or eight laps there earlier than that warning. We simply felt like our solely play was to remain out.

“I used to be actually hoping that extra individuals would try this with us so we’d have three or 4 rows. It nonetheless in all probability wouldn’t have been sufficient, however I do assume it will have been nicer to have a pair extra rows and a buffer for these with tires.”

Sunday was Elliott’s return to NASCAR Cup Sequence motion after having to serve a one-race suspension for hooking Hamlin in the correct rear through the Coca-Cola 600 final month. Elliott led seven laps within the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

“It was definitely a great battle for the No. 9 NAPA Chevy group,” he mentioned. “It was certainly one of our higher runs there within the final couple of races, so all the time good to complete sturdy. It wasn’t a super state of affairs, so to type of battle via it there and are available house with a top-five is nice. Trying ahead to construct on that and hopefully contend for a win earlier than lengthy.”

Elliott is twenty seventh within the championship standings with 10 races remaining within the common season.