There appears to be no end to the problems faced by Chase Elliott. Missing out on games at the start of the season, he saw his playoff hopes fall through his fingers. Adding on to the weight of missing the postseason for the first time, the former champion now sees furthermore troubles awaiting him at every corner. After the end of the regular season, the #9 Chevy driver had picked himself up from the dust for he had another fight in the Owner’s Championship.

Driving for his benefactor Rick Hendrick, even if not for himself, Elliott had hoped to prove his caliber in the playoff races. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case and he could end up causing more damage to his team.

The bigger dent that Chase Elliott could make in Rick Hendrick’s camp

With 5 top-10 finishes in the 7 playoff races so far, Chase Elliott hasn’t been driving all that bad. Though not his usual self behind the wheel, he was making do, given the scenario. But last weekend in Las Vegas overturned the only stone that he was balancing himself on. After crashing his car in practice, the driver had to continue in his backup car. But that’s just where the tragedies began. Struggling to find his way through the traffic, he finished the race at P32 after facing a penalty for a laid-back restart.

All these events obviously meant that Hendrick Motorsports’ chances of making it to the Owner’s Championship 4 took a big hit. In addition to missing out on a potential title, the result could also leave a gaping hole in Rick Hendrick’s pocket. In a recent post on his “X” handle, veteran reporter Bob Pockrass revealed the financial implications of falling low in the owner standings.

Considering that Elliott currently sits at the 8th spot in the standings, he could leave Mr Hendrick $1 Million shorter at the end of the season. However, judging from the words that are emerging from the Hendrick camp, a turnaround could possibly be in the making.

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Is there hope lingering for the #9 team after the Vegas downfall?

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After NASCAR took the decision to whip Elliott for the questionable laid-back restart strategy that he tried pulling, Vice Chairman of HMS, Jeff Gordon hit back at the promotion. He said, “I got to go relook at the call that NASCAR made for the penalty. […] I disagree. I thought they stacked up, and he closed it up before they got to the zone. It pretty much took every chance of them having a good finish away.”

As an outcome of the call, the #9 team found itself 61 points behind the cut-off line to make it further. This puts them in a corner that makes Homestead-Miami and Martinsville must-wins. Despite the loss that Elliott could end up costing him, Rick Hendrick put himself in the driver’s corner. He said to his in-house media, “Chase is good at these next two tracks and if we can get him through these two into the final in Phoenix, he’s won that one before. I like the way that team has come back and rebounded.”

With everything that has gone on in this season, Elliott couldn’t wait for the 2024 season to begin. But as he enters the gates of Miami, he still has a job to do. For now. The #9 team sits at the 8th spot in the owner standings with 4007 points. If they are to have any chance of advancing further, the driver will have to pull off the impossible.

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