NASCAR races can be as unpredictable as the weather. While more than 20 drivers failed to secure their spot in the playoffs by winning a race in the regular season, Martin Truex Jr won three. Needless to say, he corkscrewed his spot in the playoff rumble right after he grabbed the checkered flag at Dover Motor Speedway earlier this year. That would have led most fans to believe that there was no way this man could even face the danger of moving on to the next rounds. But it did happen.

However, when reigning champion Joey Logano fell out of contention at the Bristol Motor Speedway, Martin Truex Jr heaved a sigh of relief. Fast forward to today, he is locked in the round of 8 of the driver’s championship. Unfortunately, the driver’s championship is not the only competition in the playoff arena. After the closing race of the round of 12 at the Charlotte Roval, HMS star Chase Elliott, a non-playoff contender, ousted Truex Jr from the playoffs. Confusing, right?

A sorry season for Joe Gibbs, courtesy of Martin Truex Jr

Although the fans do not care much about it, NASCAR rewards the owners based on the results of the owner’s championship. And this reward includes a large amount of money, a good share of which even the driver receives. Given the unpredictable aspect of the game, the owner’s championship gives the race team owners a lot to fight for. But again, the fans don’t care much.

But Joe Gibbs does. And so does Rick Hendrick. Chase Elliott seems to have sworn to get his boss his cherished owner’s championship trophy, sort of as a rebound from his lackluster season. And he is not stopping. While Elliott sits in the last spot in the owner’s point standings, Martin Truex Jr got hurled 4 spots below the cutline. But how was this even possible?

Elliott wasn’t able to advance into the round of 16 but the #9 gathered enough owner’s points to get a position ahead of 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace’s #23 Toyota. Later when the round of 12 concluded, Truex Jr‘s #19 team couldn’t finish in the top 8 and failed to advance.

Watch this story: RICK HENDRICK PAINFUL CONFESSION AFTER CHASE ELLIOTT?S PLAYOFF FLOP

How weird would it be if Martin Truex Jr wins this year’s driver’s championship despite not being able to enter the round of 8 and Chase Elliott, despite being a non-playoff driver, wins the owner’s championship?

Chase Elliott fought great odds to fight for the Championship trophy for Rick Hendrick

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Chase Elliott fought against the odds of a flat tire and a wrongly timed caution and put together a commendable fight in the round of 12, flaunting a second-best average finish of 9 and second-best points just behind his teammate William Byron. Moreover, last Sunday’s Bank Of America Roval witnessed Elliott lead 15 laps, win his second stage victory of the season, and score the second-highest number of points in the entire race.

According to his crew chief Alan Gustafson, the team has been working day in and day out to regain their lost momentum. He said, “It is a testament to the hard work. You never want to put the cart in front of the horse, but hard work always pays off.” What does the man himself have to say about all of this?

The 2020 Cup Series champion said, “My approach each week has been just like as if I was part of the show from a driver?s standpoint. It?s just really not any different. There?s a lot on the line on the owners? side to the teams. It?s a really big deal.”

For the first time in his career on Rick Hendrick’s team, Chase Elliott is out of the driver’s championship. However, by having his car qualify steadily in the owner’s championship, Chase Elliott has proved that it’s just a matter of time before the #9 speedster proves his worth.

Read more: Despite His Exit, Chase Elliott Stays Integral to Rick Hendricks in the Playoffs