Elliott also played a role in raising money for several charities, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, St. Jude Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital in Richmond.
With the honors of hosting the first night race of the 2011 season, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
The shortest race of the year 2 hours and 39 minutes was perhaps the longest for fans viewing on TV. California showed once again why it has been reduced to only one race.
On the final round of pit stops under green, Carl Edwards took two tires and that was the call of the race as he went on to win Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
