Chase Elliott Has a Special Gift for NASCAR Champion Kyle Larson

For a long time, NASCAR has boasted of a tradition that has been followed since 2011. Kyle Larson will be the latest person to be on the receiving end of this tradition. Many have dubbed it a ‘secret’ and for champions’ eyes only. Now, it is time for Kyle Larson to receive this mysterious gift from his predecessor, Chase Elliott.

For the uninitiated, this so-called ‘secret’ is a journal that gets passed from one Cup champion to the next. Jimmie Johnson started the tradition back in 2011. Apparently, he spoke to NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton about potentially passing on something between champions. It is also worth noting that this journal was kept hushed up all the way until 2017 when Johnson posted a picture of himself handing the journal to the new champion, Martin Truex Jr.

Of course, anything that is written in the journal is kept a secret. When Kyle Busch passed it on to Chase Elliott, he said, “I guess I just was kind of explaining like, ‘Hey, this is new territory for you, but this is a territory where you can not necessarily change the sport or change the world, but man, just live it up, and enjoy it and know that you’re Chase Elliott and now that you’re a champion, you’ve made it in this sport.”

Now Chase Elliott has passed it on to teammate Kyle Larson

Of course, with Kyle Larson emerging victorious in 2021, it is his turn to receive this mysterious Journal of Champions. Elliott declared, “One of the coolest parts about being champion, I feel like, is having that. I haven’t given it to Kyle yet. I’m going to write in it probably the next week or so and give it to him around our Christmas party at Hendrick.”

The driver also confessed that he wished that this tradition had been started sooner. This is because he would have loved to see what some of the legendary drivers had written. However, the #9 Hendrick driver has revealed that he is not exactly sure of what he will write for Larson. Even when he eventually decides, Chase Elliott is obligated to keep it a secret, as that is the whole point of the book.

READ MORE: Chase Elliott Talks to Jeff Gordon About Emotions of Receiving NASCAR ‘Champion’s Journal’ from Kyle Busch