Chase Elliott has redemption on his mind. Having come off the back of his worst season in 2023, he is ready to test the waters, beginning at Daytona. However, he is aiming to take things one step at a time. Knowing the competition and how a revival in form would unfold, Elliott divulged his goals for the near future in an interview with The Associated Press.
Last year, Chase Elliott had several chances to qualify for the playoffs. Even after returning from a tibia injury and a suspension, he had enough races to make an impact and point his way into the playoffs. However, the No.9 team couldn’t gather momentum. The NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet driver couldn’t find the winning pace at any venue, even road courses. Having understood the thorns in his path, the 28-year-old wants to get close to the front row first.
Chase Elliott trusts the process
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Elliott is easily the most popular driver in the Cup Series. Even when the regular season reached its finale at Daytona, many fans were confident of him pulling back a win to enter the playoffs. With the season’s final three races being road courses, the closest Elliott came was a P2 finish behind Michael McDowell at the Indy road course. That stretch of races was a gradual weakening of his playoff hopes.
Realizing that getting back to the victory lane begins with a podium, Elliott said, “The biggest thing is just getting competitive on a weekly basis. I want to win and want to put up big numbers like everyone does.”
“But for me right now and our team, truthfully, the goal of mine is just being competitive on a weekly basis, just consistently be a contender. That’s all I’ve ever been after because I am a believer if you are a consistent contender each week, and if you are someone who shows up and has opportunities to win each week, you will get your share and be a car and driver that doesn’t surprise anyone with their results.“
Chase Elliott’s statements highlight the need for consistency in NASCAR. While some races have unexpected winners, challenging for a championship needs a uniform flow of success and growth. However, racing can be pretty unpredictable at times. For instance, no one would have expected last season’s regular season champion, Martin Truex Jr, to disappoint in the playoffs like he did.
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To be consistent, Chase Elliott needs a team constantly striving for success, and Hendrick Motorsports can provide that atmosphere to the 2020 Cup Series champ.
Elliott wants to race for Rick Hendrick all his career
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2024 will mark Chase Elliott’s 8th year of Cup Series action. Having grabbed the Daytona 500 pole on his debut, the upcoming weekend might bring back some good memories for him. Another splendid number coming for Elliott is his 300th Cup appearance, which, if all goes right, will happen at the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.
Having won 18 races and a championship since his breakthrough, the No.9 driver gives the due credit to his team owner, Rick Hendrick. Describing the Hall of Famer’s role in his career, Chase Elliott revealed, “I don’t know how long my career is going to take me, but I would love to spend it here. This has been the only home I have ever known in my NASCAR career, which is cool.”
“I owe everything that I have to Rick (Hendrick) and the opportunities and my life, just every bit of it. The biggest thing is to be able to call one place home. It’s a really big deal to me and to drive for one guy,” added Elliott.
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The relationship between Chase Elliott and Rick Hendrick is tight. Despite a struggle-filled season in 2023, Mr Hendrick has trusted Elliott to redeem himself and ultimately return to challenging for the championship with time. While the team doesn’t lack stars and has a younger superstar lined up in the form of William Byron, a separation seems unlikely.
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