1999 Cup Champ Warns Rick Hendrick & NASCAR of Consequences of Chase Elliott’s Playoff Inability

Apart from making waves for his interaction with famed gymnast Olivia Dunne, the rest of 2023 has been rather bland for Chase Elliott. While his Hendrick Motorsports teammates, William Byron and Kyle Larson, have cemented their spots in the projected playoffs, the 2020 Cup Series champion finds himself lagging in the 23rd spot on the Cup Series standings. Momentarily bouncing back, Elliott fell back into a slump during the Cup Series races at Atlanta and New Hampshire.

With Chase Elliott scrambling to secure a spot in the playoffs, the 1999 Winston Cup Series champion, Dale Jarrett, recently warned Rick Hendrick.

Dale Jarrett details the consequences of Chase Elliott’s playoff inability

A fractured tibia and a one-race suspension sidelined Chase Elliott for seven Cup Series races this season. After missing out on crucial points, NASCAR granted the HMS star a waiver, requiring him to secure a win for a playoff spot. As Elliott is seemingly losing playoff hopes owing to his disappointing showings at Atlanta and New Hampshire, Dale Jarrett was concerned about how his playoff inability could hamper the sport as a whole.

Speaking on the NASCAR on NBC podcast, Jarrett said, “I know that he won at Pocono last year. That holds no weight in my mind, thinking about Chase Elliott going to Pocono and winning the race. Do I hope that he does? Yes, for a lot of reasons. For him, it’s good for the sport, it’s good for Hendrick Motorsports, it’s good that a big sponsor like that would be in the playoffs.”

Warning Rick Hendrick of the consequences if the #9 HMS driver fails to secure a playoff spot, Dale Jarrett added, “Because, you just think about the ramifications if we have Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott both not getting in the playoff from Hendrick Motorsports, that’s their two biggest sponsors they have at Hendrick Motorsports, that aren’t going to be a part of the playoffs possibly. So, you have to look at this, not that they are pulling for people, but we pull for the sport, and that could have big implications along the way.”

“But I think the biggest thing is Chase and Alan Gustafson have to show us that they are gonna have a car and a driver ready to go and win a race and be able to compete up front to win that. And I just haven’t seen that in a while”, the 1999 Winston Cup champion said. 

As Dale Jarrett expressed his disappointment, Chase Elliott on the other hand pointed fingers at himself for his lackluster performance. 

Watch This Story: Bubba Wallace Agrees With Chase Elliott As They Point Out One Glaring Issue With NASCAR

Chase Elliott blames himself for his poor performance

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Donning a positive outlook after his one-race suspension, Chase Elliott was ready to leave behind his poor performance in the rearview mirror. Pushing for a playoff spot, the HMS star secured a 5th-place finish at Sonoma, a 4th at Nashville, and a 3rd at Chicago. Returning to his home track in Atlanta for the 2023 Quaker State 400 Cup Series race, Elliott was once again shrouded in negativity. 

In a pre-race interview with NBC, the #9 HMS driver blamed himself for the poor 2023 season. “I think all those things are on me, to make sure that I’m giving the information that needs to be given to help lead our team in a better direction in those crucial moments”, Elliott said.

Read More: “That Opens up for Bubba [Wallace]”: 1999 Cup Champ Makes a Bold Prediction That Could Crush Chase Elliott’s Pocono Hopes

After winning the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 Cup Series race at Pocono last season, what this year’s Pocono event has in store for the HMS star remains to be seen.