NASCAR’s most popular driver is up against the wall in a bid to keep his championship hopes alive. Having survived the grueling first two rounds in the playoff, Chase Elliott now finds himself in a similar position to advance to the Championship 4 race. Placing at the bottom of the playoff standings, it is indeed hard to see Elliott cut the 53-point deficit in the next two races.

It is indeed a pressure situation, not just for Elliott, but for the entire #9 HMS team. Many teams and drivers would be in panic stations trying to overdo their preparations or go overboard in their tactics or strategy. However, there’s no such nervous energy in the #9 camp, as they are pretty optimistic that they will get a win in either of the two races.

Chase Elliott isn’t losing sleep over his current playoff situation

By no means Elliott and his team have been mediocre this season. They are one of the most consistent teams in the Cup garage, but the lack of wins is certainly a concern for them. While the points did come to their rescue earlier in the playoffs, a win is what they are desperately yearning for in the upcoming races.

Last week the #9 Chevy was involved in a big crash with fellow playoff rival Tyler Reddick and incurred a DNF finish. Had it not been for that incident, Elliott could’ve had a solid finish. But, despite being under relentless pressure, Chase Elliott and his team aren’t pressing the panic button just yet. Rather, they will bank on their previous experience to help them see through these tough times.

“I try hard not to overthink this situation or whatever, and we’ve been in this spot before, so it’s not like this is the first time I’ve been through this or had to experience this. So having done that before and been in this spot, I think I don’t know it gives you a little bit of sense of peace. Just kind of know how to handle it, and you know your team can get it done.” The HMS star said this ahead of the Homestead race.

Here, Elliott referred to his championship-winning year 2020, where his team was in a similar spot. In the Round of 8 races at Kansas and Texas, he found himself in a must-win situation at Martinsville, and guess what? He came in with a clutch performance. It was this clutch performance at Martinsville that helped him etch his name in NASCAR history books.

But where does that crucial win come for him? Is it Homestead-Miami, or Martinsville?

Denny Hamlin has some advice for his playoff rival

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In comparison to Elliott’s situation, the other two HMS drivers have more wiggle room to play with. Kyle Larson has a cushion of 35 points and is expected to bounce off after his Vegas misery. Meanwhile, William Byron is following in Larson’s footsteps with a 27-point buffer of the driver placed in the 5th spot below the cut line.

Homestead isn’t one of the best tracks for Chase Elliott and his team. In his last five starts at the 1.5-mile racetrack, he’s only managed a single top 5 result. So betting on him to win this weekend is a longshot call and perhaps a brave one. However, Martinsville Speedway is a track where Elliott and his team can plan a last-ditch attempt to make it through the Round of 8. Even his rival, Denny Hamlin, believes that his best chances were on the short-track oval and not on the intermediate track at Homestead.

“Chase Elliott, we talked about his points position, he’s in the cellar. Not good. He was definitely kind of an innocent bystander. It looks like he, you know, watching the beginning of the race, he was coming to the front pretty quickly, and I saw after the race he was pretty happy with his car before that crash. He’s probably stronger at Martinsville than he is at Homestead. He’s going to try to win both, but I give his best shot to win at Martinsville.” Hamlin said this on the Actions Detrimental podcast.

What are your thoughts about Chase Elliott’s chances to qualify for the Championship 4 race?