Chase Elliott’s Father Left Atlanta Motor Speedway With a Sour Taste Despite His Son’s Historic Win

Right now, it’d be tough, very tough, to find someone who didn’t like the racing at the newly configured Atlanta Motor Speedway. Yet, despite the two good races this season, there’s Bill Elliott, the father of recent Atlanta winner Chase Elliott, not being a big fan of his ‘new’ home track.

The senior Elliott didn’t hold back on what he thinks of the Atlanta track now that he has seen it reconfigured twice. “I really enjoyed it back then,” Elliott said.

“Like I said, it was unique in its own way. Had its own personality. When they come in and they reconfigured it — to me, I just liked that old but you know I’m kind of sentimental to the old generation.”

The 1988 Cup champion admitted he understands change is the only constant, that everyone has to move on but to his generation, who grew up watching drivers like Richard Petty and David Pearson race on the old school tracks, it’s tough.

“That’s kind of what drove NASCAR and built NASCAR to what it is today,” he added.

As for those who claimed the new Atlanta tasted similar to Daytona and Talladega, well, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville has a blunt response – “I didn’t think we needed another Daytona, Talladega, but I guess we got it.”

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Bill Elliott on the recent form of Chase Elliott and the #9 Team

Along with his qualms with the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bill Elliott went on to acknowledge the recent run of form for his son and his #9 team, especially with the win at his home track.

“It was a good win for him,” Bill Elliott said. “He really put a lot of pressure on himself to win there. It seems like the last several races, he and Alan (Gustafson) have come together very well, and put together some good races.”

Elliott added that even though the #9 has been “consistent all year”, it’s only now that they’re beginning to figure things out with the Next Gen car, heading into the playoffs as the favorites.