Hendrick equipment has been some of the best in the garage for decades. That not only gives the organization’s drivers a leg up on track, but also helps teams attract and keep sponsorship. Add in Elliott’s popularity and it’s easy to see how the No. 9 Chevrolet is one of the best-funded teams in the sport.

Also starting outside the top 10 were Bubba Wallace, who started 14th and finished fifth, Ross Chastain who raced from 17th to sixth, and Austin Cindric, who started 16th and wound up seventh. On a night when the race was largely in the drivers’ hands, a few of them seized the opportunity.