Chase Elliott Reveals a Rick Hendrick Horror Story as He Confesses He Almost Lost $1.14 Billion Sponsor

Chase Elliott’s rise to stardom has been nothing short of remarkable. At just 18 years old, while completing his high school, he etched his name in NASCAR history. He became the youngest champion in any of NASCAR’s national touring series when he clinched the 2014 Xfinity Series title, driving for Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports. He took home three wins, two pole positions, and 26 top-10 finishes out of 33 races in his storybook debut season.

Even before his Xfinity triumph, Elliott had made headlines by becoming the youngest winner in the Truck Series. A feat achieved in only his sixth start. His journey through the ARCA Menards Series East was similarly full of promise, with notable victories and fans naming him the series’ most popular driver. And ever since he joined the Cup Series full-time with Hendrick Motorsports, he has been inching toward his father’s record of 16 Most Popular Driver awards.

In a recent interview, Elliott spoke about his time at Hendrick Motorsports and his relationship with Rick Hendrick. He even revealed a horror story in NASCAR he used to believe in back in the day.

Chase Elliott speaks of a time when Rick Hendrick promised him help and when he almost lost his billion-dollar sponsor

In 2015, the announcement of Elliott joining the NASCAR Cup Series in 2016 created ripples of anticipation. He made his mark instantly by becoming the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner in history at just 20 years and 2 months. His rookie season in the Cup Series in 2016 was nothing short of sensational, with 10 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s, and two poles. Elliott’s remarkable performance earned him the 2016 Cup Series Rookie of the Year title.

Elliott reflected on his career under the Hendrick Motorsports umbrella during his conversation with The Athletic, expressing gratitude for the opportunities he’s been given. He noted, “My entire career has been under the HMS umbrella in some way, shape, or form.” However, he shared an intriguing revelation about a deal that almost didn’t materialize. “The Xfinity deal in 2014 was really close to not happening,” Elliott admitted.

In 2011, a young Elliott received an offer of assistance from Rick Hendrick. But he approached it cautiously. Elliott had heard the horror stories of unfulfilled promises in the racing world, and skepticism was only natural. Elliott recounted, “I didn’t know Rick and I didn’t know what that meant. I’ve heard horror stories of people being promised potential opportunities. Especially in this world, there are a lot of promises that don’t get held up.”

However, as their conversations progressed, Elliott realized that Rick Hendrick was serious about helping him develop his career. He described their initial interaction as a simple handshake agreement: “Hey, I want to help. Let’s just see where it goes. If things go good, maybe there’s an opportunity down the road. If they don’t, we’ll all move on.”

Another chapter in Elliott’s journey involved his sponsor, NAPA. He revealed that securing a deal with NAPA almost didn’t happen. “We ran some Truck races there in 2013 and we had been in talks with NAPA over the fourth quarter of 2013 [NAPA was a sponsor of Michael Waltrip Racing but left the team after the Richmond Spingate scandal]. And they were on the fence and ended up saying yes to the deal late [in the year.]”

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Despite experiencing a winless and somewhat disappointing season, Chase Elliott’s absence from the playoff conversation has shifted the spotlight to other drivers. However, there’s another championship in play that often remains unspoken—the owner’s championship.

Jeff Gordon urges NASCAR to pay more attention to the owner’s championship

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Jeff Gordon, a racing icon in his own right, has become an advocate for recognizing the owner’s championship in NASCAR. During a recent interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Gordon called for a greater focus on the owner’s championship alongside the driver’s championship.

Gordon emphasized the importance of acknowledging the efforts of teams and the significance of the owner’s points, which contribute significantly to the sport’s financial landscape. “We have Chase Elliott,” Gordon stated. “He is in on the owner. Which by the way, a lot of people aren’t focused on that and I know they did not have a great year but they’re doing what they need to do right now.”

“We are focused on the driver’s [championship], it’s great,” he added. “We should be focused on that but what can we do more of to recognize the efforts of the teams and that championship that’s going on because that’s where the money comes from, is the owner’s points.”

READ MORE: Kyle Petty Gives Chase Elliott’s Traitor a “Pat on the Back” After Their Surprising Performance at Talladega

Do you believe NASCAR should pay heed to the words of Jeff Gordon and give the owner’s championship some more weight? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.