(CHASE RACE #3) IRPORPLORP 200 @ Lucas Oil Raceway Park

Dillinger saves title hopes with win; Jenkins, Atkins, Lester and Vance eliminated

It was a mixed bag of emotions for playoff drivers; particularly at ATK Racing, where Matilda Dillinger got the win when it mattered to advance through to the round of 12. Dillinger had qualified the best out of anyone below the cutoff line entering the race, sharing the front row with Bradley Carlisle, the Dover winner, but Dillinger made the only pass for the lead with 48 laps to go, and took the win to advance.

Casey Lester had suffered a clutch issue with just 50 laps to go, which saw him crash out of the chase, while Ben Atkins had to pit multiple times in a race he had struggled in, and he finished four laps down in 21st place. Evie Vance, looking for a win today, also suffered issues for the third time in as many chase races and finished two laps down in 18th place. Elliott Jenkins was one of three chase drivers who got caught up in a lap 1 crash; the others being Chiyo Minami and Ross Carter, but it was elation and relief for Minami and Carter, who went onto the next round, Dillinger's win meant that Jenkins went out of the chase.

Dillinger was the centre of controversy at Chicagoland Speedway after causing an insane melee, but she insisted the squabble over her actions did not faze her.

"It's whatever, really." said Dillinger, nonchalantly, "I'm in the next round and the people making a big deal of it aren't. I'm here to win and do my job, and I'm here to get a second title. I'm not here to make friends doing it."

Dillinger, the defending champion, was called out by her team boss Ben Atkins, who guaranteed she would not win the title. When asked about this, Dillinger was just as apathetic.

"Yeah, I guess he was mad at me, huh? I'm sure him missing the next round won't help anything, but I'm not focused on his campaign. It's about mine."

Atkins, the 2012 series champion, was left dejected after his performance, but admitted he had little confidence entering the weekend.

"Even when the penalty got revoked, I wasn't feeling great about our chances," said Atkins, "but we didn't have the attitude after Dover. I was so focused on our misfortunes that I wasn't in the right mindset. I think if I didn't get the penalty at Atlanta, we'd be telling a whole different story here."

"I'll be pulling for the 12 car to win the title now. The 29 would be a popular win for me too. Hell, probably any of the McBrien team would be fine with me. They've been the fastest and most reliable all year... except Evie. She's just been fast. I feel bad for her."

Evie Vance was not dejected, but rather, outright furious.

"Third week in a row, the car broke." said Vance, "It's bullshit. It's just bullshit. We have an incompetent CEO in the office who will hopefully resign, and I got given the shit equipment because I've not got a good story to tell if I win the title. Maybe being let go from this team for a douche with Monster money will be a blessing."

The only driver not feeling negative after their elimination was Jenkins, who was reflective, and thankful, for his chance at the championship.

"I don't think we could have predicted the speed we got out of the car at the seasons beginning," said Jenkins, "We nearly won Daytona and Bristol and we made the playoffs on merit after missing New York! To even be here was a privilege. Would I have liked to have gone further? Maybe, but it's the way it played out, and I'm just thankful I got a shot!"

Dillinger and 11 other drivers will move onto the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which will feature an experimental package, with their title hopes fresh, and in tact.

Results:

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