Chase Elliott is back in action. The Georgia native will kickstart his 2025 with the SpeedFest Super Late Model event, a competition he has won thrice before. Alongside Elliott, Kyle Busch is also the only other current NASCAR Cup driver to have won this event on three occasions. Now, Elliott has a shot to make that record his own in 2025.

Competing for Fr8 Racing, the 29-year-old will be driving at Cordele Motor Speedway on January 17th and 18th, marking a return to the grassroots racing competition for the first time since 2023. The Hendrick Motorsports driver will be looking to redeem himself after finishing 19th in his last appearance after being involved in an accident. Notably, Elliott has also won the SpeedFest Pro-Model event three times in a row, from 2011 to 2013.

Despite his busy schedule, Elliott has been trying to find the time to compete in grassroots-level events. Staying in touch with his roots is important for the 2020 Cup Series champion, whose stature raises the profile of grassroots events amidst NASCAR’s recent attempts to boost them.

Chase Elliott loves coming back to his roots

The SpeedFest began in 2005 and started at USA International Speedway and then shifted to Lanier Raceplex in 2009, before shifting to Coerdelle Speedway in 2012. Chase Elliott will be aiming to win his fourth annual winter Super Late Model event in south-central Georgia, a competition he has enjoyed participating in before. In 2011, Elliott became there young gest driver to win the SpeedFest at just 15 years of age. The event has taken place several times near his home in Dawsonville, Georgia, with Cordele Motor Speedway being considered somewhat of a home track, where he has won twice before.

Reminiscing about his early racing career, Chase Elliott candidly said at an FR8 Racing roundtable, “I grew to have such a large appreciation and respect for the discipline. We were so immersed in it and I just think because of the amount of impact it had on my life today and career through those four or five years, I just have a huge appreciation for that. I love it and I enjoy going to do it when I can obviously. It can be tough with our schedule as you all know. Not as many weekday asphalt late-model races as I would like for them to be now.”

Chase Elliott isn’t the only star who will be featuring in the late model event. World Crown 300 winner Michael Hinde, Cole Butcher, who has won the Oxford 250 twice as well as Hudson Bulger will be participating at Speedfest. Fellow Cup Series driver Ross Chastain, who finished runner-up last year is also expected to take part, highlighting just how much support grassroots racing is getting from many high-profile drivers, who made their careers in such competitions.

Grassroots racing has always been the backbone of NASCAR, but financial struggles have raised questions about its sustainability. To tackle this issue, a national Super Late Model tour called ASA STARS was launched in 2023, which has a groundbreaking loyalty program which is designed to attract and retain racing talent. Having a robust grassroots system is important for the next generation of drivers to make their way into NASCAR, which means having a sustainable progression system will be key for the overall health of the motorsports community in the long run.

Is the Platinum Program a game-changer for grassroots racing?

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The ASA Stars recently introduced a Platinum Program by Rackley Roofing, which highlights the commitment towards providing stability to drivers and teams in the motorsports world. This program is said to be a considerable overhaul of the Winner’s Circle initiative, the program is valued at $655,000, providing a 925% increase in financial benefits in comparison to its predecessor. As part of this initiative, each driver will get a $1,500 bonus per event with even the lowest-finishing drivers walking home with at least $3,000 after every race.

Sharing his thoughts about the initiative, Marty Melo, national tour director of operations and sales said in a release, “It’s our goal to see Asphalt Super Late Model team owners and drivers succeed so they can provide our fans and partners with exciting racing every time they unload at the racetrack, and the best way to do that is by supporting them as much as we can. That’s why we are beyond excited for 2025 to have a strong $100,000 points fund, increased purse payouts to over one million dollars, and increase our Platinum Program immensely.”

The Platinum Program seems like a bold initiative to revamp the grassroots structure in the motorsports world. By creating a sustainable model for drivers, teams, and fans, the ASA Stars is taking a step in the right direction to create the next generation of superstars. With unprecedented benefits being handed out, the groundwork for success has already been laid out. Ultimately, competitive racing and a strong roster of drivers will be key to the long-term growth of the program.