At 17 years, nine months and four days of age, Chase Elliott overtook Ryan Blaney to become the youngest race winner in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history as he moved aside leader Ty Dillon in a controversial and action-packed finish to Sunday’s inaugural Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.Dillon last pitted for fuel under caution on Lap 32 and appeared to be on his way to capturing his second win of the season when Elliott drove hard into his right rear-quarter panel on the last corner of the final lap, sending the driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet hard into the tire barrier on the outside of turn 10.
“I was doing all I could to make it to the finish,” said Dillon, who dropped from first to 17th. “He just gave up trying to race and dumped me. I mean, he killed our truck. He killed our day.”A visibly upset Dillon leaned into Elliott’s truck on pit road immediately following the race to share some choice words with the Dawsonville, Ga., driver as well as promised that payback was forthcoming.
“He obviously wasn’t happy and he had every right not to be happy. I wouldn’t have been happy either,” said Elliott. “At the same time, you have to do what you have to do.”
Chase Elliott’s father, 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, was spotting for his son in turns eight, nine and 10 of the 2.459-mile road course.“All in all he did a great job. I guarantee you, I’ve lost many races like that and I’ve won ’em,” the elder Elliott said. “These things have a way of working their way out. I think it was a great TV race though and I can tell you the fans in the turns where I was spotting were on their feet.”
Max Papis and Mike Skeen made considerable contact with one another as they battled for third place during the final two laps. The rivalry culminated with Skeen and Papis both spinning out in a cloud of smoke in the last corner.
Chad Hackenbracht, who is running a limited 2013 schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports, weaved his way through the incident to finish an impressive second.
Miguel Paludo came home third as KBM driver Darrell Wallace Jr. was the highest finishing rookie in fourth.
Series championship points leader Matt Crafton struggled to a 10th-place finish but retained a 47-point lead over James Buescher. Buescher, the polesitter, finished ninth.
Dillon’s Chevrolet led the most laps —25–with Elliott’s Chevy in front for 22 of the race’s 64 serials. Six different drivers exchanged the lead seven times.
Elliott averaged 87.775 mph in winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ first race outside the United States and first road-course event since June 2000.