Forty-three years ago, NASCAR rolled into Sonoma, California, for a Cup race at the track then known as Sears Point International Raceway. It was June 1981, and the series was making its second trip to the 2.52-mile road course. The event wasn’t a big deal back then—just 35,000 fans showed up, and the winner’s purse was a modest $22,500. Drivers like Ricky Rudd and Bobby Allison were in the mix, but it was Darrell Waltrip who took the checkered flag, leading 51 of 119 laps in his Junior Johnson Buick. Fast forward to today, and Sonoma’s a different beast—bigger crowds, bigger stakes. But some things in NASCAR never change, like the quiet tensions and unspoken bonds between teammates. That brings us to Chase Elliott and his Hendrick Motorsports crew, where a recent comment has fans thinking about what really fuels a team.

Elliott has been racing with Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, and William Byron for five years now—half a decade of grinding it out, keeping Hendrick at the top. This year alone, the HMS quartet has been a force, racking up nine wins by late March 2025, with Larson leading at four victories, including a nail-biter at Las Vegas. Chase snagged a win at Texas, Byron took COTA, and Bowman’s consistency has kept them in the hunt. You’d think that kind of success would forge a tight crew and maybe late nights in the garage turning into cookouts or fishing trips. But Chase just flipped that idea.

Chase Elliott and his teammates ain’t after-hour buddies

Jeff Gordon, HMS vice chairman, called Elliott’s recent struggles “frustrating” in an interview, pointing to high expectations after a tough 2024 and a shaky 2025 start. Fans felt it, too. “All four Hendrick cars are assembled using the exact same methods that draw parts from the same collection and even use the exact same technicians for certain parts of the process. There is no favoritism,” said former mechanic and NASCAR journalist Bozi Tatarevic. It all translates to Rick Hendrick running a really tight ship. And Elliott has cleared the air.

Addressing his dynamics with his teammates, Chase Elliott said, “Yeah, I just think we have a really good working relationship. I mean, you know, none of us are best friends off the racetrack. We don’t hang out, not because we don’t like each other. We just kind of run in different circles.” But this doesn’t say anything about them as a team. Well, guess what? Elliott also stressed why they were a force to reckon with on the field.

Elliott further added, saying, “We have a really good working relationship, and we show up, and we have our meetings. I think everybody’s open and honest and willing to help one another. We show each other a lot of respect on the racetrack, and yeah, just kind of how it should be. You know, those guys give me respect, and I’m going to give it back at least that much and probably then some; that’s just how I am.” But apart from the respect shared for his teammates as humans, Chase respects their work ethic and contribution to the ‘bigger picture.’

Sharing the reason for respect, Chase Elliott said, “And I, you know, enjoy being around guys like that who are hungry and want to get the job done for their team but also kind of have the bigger picture. The big picture of just the company in mind, and (they) are willing to help us all get better together and be stronger as a four-car stable.” But it’s not like it’s all respect and no bromance! Chase has previously said things about his love for his teammates.

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Debate

During a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview, Chase let a little humor slip through the cracks. When asked about his ideal teammate chemistry, he pointed to Kyle Larson as his “bromance” pick among the HMS crew, a rare nod to their on-track connection. Then, with a chuckle, he brushed off the idea of teaming up with Kyle Busch, joking that it’d be “too many Kyles, too much talent” in one garage—a recipe for chaos he wasn’t ready to handle.

Meanwhile, over at Front Row Motorsports, it’s a different vibe. Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Josh Berry lean on friendship and talent as a trio, a bond that’s fueled their early 2025 success—something HMS doesn’t chase off the track.  Pairs like Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace as pals beyond the grid, a contrast to Chase’s crew.

This isn’t your typical NASCAR friendship tale—no Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. mentorship vibes or Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace off-track bond. Many sites rank iconic duos, but Chase’s crew isn’t on any of those lists. They’re not besties like some dream teammate pairings. They’re coworkers—hungry, honest, and all about the bigger picture. Chase gives more respect than he gets, and that’s his way.

Even when Larson opened up about a Martinsville moment during the Cook Out 400. Late in the race, with a chance to battle for the win, Larson said the team’s call to go single-file handed Chase a fourth-place finish while costing him a shot at the top. “It is what it is,” Larson shrugged, no bitterness in his voice, just acceptance. Nine wins in 2025, including Larson’s four, Chase’s Texas triumph, and Byron’s COTA score, prove this distance doesn’t break them—it works. So, does it make them tougher, or is something missing?

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Elliott and Chastain went at each other at Darlington

Things got heated at Darlington Raceway on April 5, 2025, and Chase Elliott’s emotions are still running high. The Hendrick Motorsports star clashed with Ross Chastain during the Xfinity Series race, and it’s left us all wondering. “I’m just frustrated,” Elliott admitted after the wreck. “Ross came in hot, and I had nowhere to go. It’s Darlington—tight, tough, and no room for mistakes.” You can feel his anger; that crash cost him a shot at the win, and he finished third instead.

Chastain, driving for Trackhouse Racing, saw it differently. “I thought he had enough room,” he said, shrugging it off. But Elliott wasn’t buying it. Post-race, he told, “Nothing. I enjoyed it. It was great. Want more of it,” his sarcasm dripping through every word. You can almost hear the grit in his voice—he’s fed up, and who can blame him? Darlington’s egg-shaped chaos is brutal, and this run-in just added fuel to their rivalry.

Earlier this week, Elliott opened up about the track’s throwback vibe. “I think we rode that horse to death,” he told, reflecting on how Darlington defines NASCAR’s raw edge. He loves its challenge, but after this “atrocious ordeal,” as he called it, he’s demanding change. “We need more space or better respect out there,” he said firmly. It’s a cry from the heart—Elliott’s tired of getting squeezed.

Rick Hendrick, his team owner, backed him up. “Chase is our ace,” he said, praising his driver’s grit. Fans, you felt this one, too, right? The tension, the stakes—it’s why we love this sport. Elliott’s not just racing; he’s fighting for every inch. What’s next for him and Chastain? Darlington’s left us hanging.