Enjoy Illinois 300
It was a goregous day for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. NASCAR Cup Series drivers took to the track for a quick 240 laps at the 1.25-mile track.
Michael McDowell claimed the pole and maintained the lead. But in the closing laps of the opening stage, Christopher Bell stole the lead and won Stage 1. Bell continued to dominate and won Stage 2.
When Ryan Blaney cycled to the lead after green flag stops in Stage 3, Bell started to creep back to the front. Lap 220 saw Bell re-claim the lead, however one lap later, Bell radioed to his team, “I’m blowing up.”
It was now Blaney’s race to lose. Unfortunately, when he took the white flag, he immediately ran out of fuel. This allowed Austin Cindric to win his first race of the season.
Rich MARvelous Move of the Race
A very calm race turned chaotic in the final 20 laps between the issues for Blaney and Bell.
Despite blowing a motor, Bell went on to bring home a P7 finish. This was partly due to a teammate who earned the Rich MARvelous Move of the Race.
Martin Truex, Jr. was running multiple laps down after losing a tire on Lap 108. However, when push came to shove, Truex became the ultimate teammate.
He literally pushed Bell to the checkered flag, and allowed his teammate to bring home a top-10 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing despite the trouble.
🟢 Truex, avec 3 tours de retard, aide Bell à maintenir sa position 🥲
10 laps to go#EnjoyIllinois300 #Nascar #DimancheNASCARpic.twitter.com/jiZ8zN3va7
— Turn Four (@turnfour_fr) June 2, 2024
Honorable Mention
A crazy final handful of laps allowed some shake-up to the “norm” when it came to finishing results. In addition to Cindric’s win, we wanted to give a shout out to Carson Hocevar (P8) and Justin Haley (P9) for their top-10 finishes at Gateway.
Let’s hear from you! What is your Rich MARvelous Move of the Race?
Thank you to Rich Mar Florist for sponsoring the Rich MARvelous Move of the Race. Give them a follow on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X) to stay up-to-date with all the Team Rich Mar NASCAR happenings. Be sure to check out their website for all your floral needs.
