After HMS Teammate’s Unfortunate Mishap Fueled Uncanny Drivers’ Debate, Chase Elliott Shuts Down Critics With a Reality Check

Is it a viable option for the NASCAR teams to micro-manage their drivers? Shouldn’t there be a clear demarcation between the professional and the personal world? But the question that arises, as a matter of fact, is if these create a hindrance in the performance of the team. However, Chase Elliott would like to beg to differ. And this is apparent in the recent debate raging in the media.

Elliott recently shunned the questions of whether the drivers should be allowed to carry on with their extracurricular activities. Especially, if such activities have the potency to threaten the safety of the drivers.

Chase Elliott shuts questions as poor timing

During a pre-race interview in Dover, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was asked, “Jeff Andrews said one accident is bad too. Extracurricular activity accidents are not great. He said maybe there’s a chance in the future he might have to look at what you guys do. Whether it’s racing or other activities. How concerned are you that there could be a change in what you guys are allowed to do? Either personally in racing. And how might it affect you if they have to go forward with those kinds of changes?” 

To this, the 2020 Cup Series champion gave a befitting reply. Chase Elliott said, “Yeah, I really don’t see it changing. I think that it’s obviously very, very poor timing. With where I was at and just coming back. And obviously, Alex [Bowman] being hurt this week. I mean, look, I get it. It’s a bad look.

“It’s just really poor timing. I mean, I think if one happened this year, and the other happened next year. Will we be having the conversation? Probably not, you know, really. I think them being back-to-back like that makes it look a little worse than the reality.” 

The bad luck streak of Hendrick Motorsports

The Hendrick Motorsports debacle seems endless. It has fallen on hard times with two drivers suffering severe injuries one after another. Moreover, though Chase Elliott has returned after recuperating from a broken tibia, it doesen’t look like he is functioning at his full potential.

WATCH THIS STORY: “Not different than our government” – fans back Denny Hamlin as he exposes NASCAR’s dirty tactics

Now, to rub salt into the wounds of Hendrick Motorsports, Alex Bowman has to stay out. The #48 driver is supposed to remain out of the grid for at least 3–4 weeks after suffering from a compression fracture of a vertebra. Bowman injured himself by getting overturned and flipping over multiple times after colliding with Conner Morell during a race at 34 Raceway. 

The fans of Hendrick Motorsports, however, are hoping for a speedy recovery for the drivers. They are also on the lookout for whether the team officials take any steps to ensure the safety of the drivers. Till then, they will be cheering for the replacement driver, Josh Berry, who has shown promise earlier, driving the #9 Chevy.

Also Read: Hendrick Motorsports Subtly Slips In a Testament of Innocence Amid Chaos Around Contradictory Penalty Verdicts