Disheartened Chase Elliott Leaves Elongated Michigan Weekend for $30,000

The 2023 season so far has been nothing but a nightmare for the 2020 Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott. Though the Hendrick Motorsports driver still has a sign of hope left, his Speedway run at Michigan International Speedway was nothing short of a disaster for the #9 driver.

Unfortunately for NASCAR’s golden boy, his hopes of finishing the race with a decent performance quickly went down in flames after an unfortunate incident, even before the race was postponed to Monday due to the heavy showers. While the driver has been toiling hard for a breakthrough, wanting to end his winless drought, he is certain that his Michigan disappointment will not stop him from competing for a $30,000 cheque.

Devastated Chase Elliott eyes the cash bag, hoping to emulate what he couldn’t do on Sunday

From being sidelined for 6 races to being suspended after a tussle with Joe Gibbs Racing veteran, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott’s 2023 season has seen it all except a win. The HMS speedster is still chasing the first win of the season and to make matters worse, he has gone from the frying pan straight into the fire after the Speedway run at Michigan.

Although the weather put a premature end to the race on Sunday, NASCAR’s poster boy still got the worst end of the race as an early race incident turned Elliott’s day sideways, literally. The right rear tire of the #9 Chevy gave out, spinning out Elliott as he slid straight into the wall, essentially ending his day after the car slammed into the wall.

Though his day ended miserably in turn 2 off lap 34, running 9th, Elliott did not let his agony stop him from competing for a $30,000 cash prize.

The event we are talking about happened at Berlin Raceway on Wednesday. The race named Battle of Berlin, a late model race, will feature a star-studded lineup including active NASCAR drivers like Josh Berry and Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron. But as things stand, Elliott has a lot more on stake than a $30K cheque.

WATCH THIS STORY: Joe Gibbs Racing Member Justifies Martin Truex Jrs Fiery Outburst

After seeing him helpless after the Michigan crash, fans wanted to hear Elliott’s thoughts on where he stands in terms of his mindset for the playoff battle, which seems to be slipping off his hands. To say the very least, fans would have been disappointed seeing the HMS Star down in the dumps.

Following the unfortunate ending, Chase Elliott revealed his “only option”

Trending

Despite 2023 Disaster, Chase Elliott Risks Angering Rick Hendrick by Choosing Alex Bowman’s HMS Banned Tactic

Kurt Busch Finally Breaking Radio Silence After Criminal Charges Forced 3-Month-Long Hiatus Has NASCAR Fans Breathing Easy

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Sister Recalls the Sacrifice Forced on Them by Tony Stewarts’ Stranded Mentee Before Their Big Moment

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Was Caught Off-Guard by Ken Schrader’s Boozy ‘Bargaining’ Tactic

Kyle Larson’s Efforts Reap Results as America’s Oldest Sprint Car Racing Makes Its Return After a Year of Hiatus

Despite them being competent and apt to be in NASCAR’s top-tier division, bad luck has time and again made Chase Elliott & Alex Bowman’s championship chances narrow and grim. While Elliott had 6 races off from his schedule following an unfortunate accident, Bowman too had a similar fate after a Sprint race mishap. With all of this, a fan-favorite driver, like Elliott, has just one option to make it into the playoffs.

Speaking to the media post the race, the #9 driver was asked, “Were you surprised when it (tire) went?” To this, he replied, “Well, yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure.” Shortly after, the reporter asked the 2020 titleholder about his plan for the rest of the season. This led a disheartened and dejected Elliott to express that, “[Winning] is the only option” for him.

Will the Chevy driver return to his winning ways at Indy as experts favor Elliott to ace the next two road courses?

READ MORE: NASCAR’s Chase Elliott Oversell Triggers Suspicions as Fans Demand Major Change From Rick Hendrick