LONG POND, Pa. — Chase Elliott had just landed from the plane ride back from Pocono when texts started coming in from friends congratulating him on his latest NASCAR victory.

Hold up.

What victory?

“No, we ran third,” Elliott said he replied.

Finished third, yes – but he was declared the winner after disqualifications that stripped Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch of their 1-2 finishes.

So Elliott wound up with a victory despite never leading a lap.

Hamlin was the first disqualified Cup winner since April 17, 1960, when Emanuel Zervakis’ victory at Wilson Speedway in North Carolina was thrown out because of an oversized fuel tank.

The NASCAR inspection team found issues in both JGR Toyotas that affected the aerodynamics and tossed out the finish.

Hamlin would have become the career leader among active drivers with seven wins at Pocono. His young daughter burst into tears of joy and he sent her to retrieve the checkered flag. Taylor Hamlin clutched the flag as she slid through the passenger’s side window and took a victory lap around Pocono with dad at the wheel.

Taylor Hamlin still owns the flag.

As for the winner’s prize, Hamlin shipped the Eagle trophy to Elliott, perhaps the least prized one in his possession.

“I didn’t want to celebrate it, personally,” Elliott said. “That’s not how I want to win a race. We all want to go win them outright and make sure we feel like we earned it. We want to earn it every week.”

NASCAR’s decision reignited the debate on whether winners should have wins rescinded because of rules violations.

Winning teams found in violation of the rules before 2019 were penalized with postrace fines, points deductions and/or suspensions. But drivers didn’t have victories taken away from them until then.

Busch said NASCAR’s decision was “a bit over the top” and used air quotes when he said the violation was blatant.

“Honestly, if it was something missed, then that is the price we have to pay as a team. We win and we lose together,” Busch said. “So the cars have to be right, and more right now than ever because the rules and the infractions are just so stiff.”

Busch has moved on to Richard Childress Racing and has three wins this season. Hamlin was officially scored 35th in the race and did not win again the rest of 2022. He has one victory this season. Elliott, the 2020 NASCAR champion, had five wins last season but has yet to take the checkered flag this year. Elliott has missed seven races this season because of injuries and a suspension, putting him in position to have to win a race  to make the playoffs.

Elliott is not among the top 16 drivers in points. Pocono marked the first of six races left in NASCAR’s version of the regular season that will set the playoff field.

“I think it has been in some ways enjoyable to find new challenges and kind of push yourself in different areas,” Elliott said. “It doesn’t really feel a ton different, I guess, than like a playoff run, like in the final 10 (races).”

HALEY’S DECISION

Justin Haley said economics played a pivotal role in his decision to leave Kaulig Racing at the end of this season and sign a multiyear deal to drive for Rick Ware Racing starting in 2024.

The 24-year-old Haley had his only Cup victory in July 2019 at Daytona, in just his third start. He’s had a full-time ride at Kaulig since 2022 and has five top-10 finishes this season. He is 23rd in points entering Pocono.

Haley said the deal with RWR had been locked up for weeks. Rick Ware Racing does not have a full-time driver in either of its two cars this season but banked on Haley to help improve the state of the organization.

“Maybe on the surface it might look like an odd move,” Haley said Saturday. “But there’s a lot more depth to it than you might think.”

Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice said he hoped to name Haley’s replacement in August.

ODDS AND ENDS

Hamlin and New Hampshire winner Martin Truex Jr. are the betting favorites to win Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.