“I Struggle a Little Bit” – Ex-HMS Crew Chief Has Major Concerns Over Chase Elliott’s Playoff Contention

The sands of time gradually pour through the hourglass, and merely three races remain in the 2023 regular season. For those Cup drivers, including Chase Elliott, who have yet to punch their ticket to the playoffs through a victory this year, this does not bode well.

The numbers don’t lie, and they paint a bleak picture for NASCAR’s golden boy regarding his prospects of securing a berth. This sentiment found resonance in the words of a former crew chief from Hendrick Motorsports, who recently put forth his prognosis on the potential front-runners for the top spot at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Cup Points and the delicate balance of victory and defeat

The countdown is on, with two dozen gladiators battling for a spot in the prestigious 16-seat playoff arena. Already, twelve have earned their laurels, standing triumphant at the race’s zenith. The fate of the remaining four coveted positions hinges either on a dark horse emerging victorious in the imminent three races or on the cruel arithmetic of points. The quartet of Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, and the fledgling Ty Gibbs currently hold these elusive seats based on regular season points.

NASCAR enthusiasts might be pinning their hopes on their beloved HMS champion, Chase Elliott, to clinch a victory, but his recent track record suggests a different narrative. Despite boasting five top-5 and six top-10 placements in the last ten races, the winner’s podium has eluded him. The scoreboard further dampens his prospects, revealing his 22nd stance on the playoff ladder, a daunting 55 points away from salvation. Moreover, gaining entry based on points seems like a bridge too far for Elliott.

The perspective found an echo in the insights of HMS’s former crew chief, Steve Letarte, who expressed reservations about Chase Elliot and Kyle Larson’s odds in the upcoming race.

“I can believe Reddick; I actually could believe Buescher because his consistency has been very good; Dinger I could get my mind around; but I struggle a little bit with Larson and Elliott. […] While Elliott and everybody want to talk about road courses, it has been a major decline, or at least in my opinion, it’s been a major decline in this car from what he did in the old car.”

Previously, Kyle Petty also weighed in, noting a decline in Elliott’s performance, saying, “If you go back to last year and just take all of his road course finishes, he basically averaged a 9th- or 10th-place finish. If you go to the season before that, he averaged a 1st or 2nd place finish probably.”

It’s apparent that his prowess on the road courses has seen better days. And it isn’t just Letarte who harbors reservations about Elliott’s playoff prospects. The thought is also shared by other racing savants, including the iconic Dale Jarrett.

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Recently, in a candid tete-a-tete with the revered NASCAR pit correspondent Kim Coon, racing titan Dale Jarrett candidly remarked, “There’s nothing telling me that this team is ready to go win a race.”

Yet, as the conversation unfolded, he added a silver lining by asserting, “I am a huge Chase Elliott fan; it’d be great for our most popular driver to be a part of the playoffs if he somehow finds a way to win at Daytona in the last race before the playoff starts,” offering a beacon of optimism to the legion of Chase Elliott devotees.

Should Chase Elliott fail to ascend to the playoffs, it would undoubtedly cast a pall over his fan base, depriving them of the thrill of watching their treasured HMS champion battle it out. Such an outcome might also dent NASCAR’s viewership metrics. However, with the unpredictable nature of NASCAR, it’s always a game of rolling the dice when forecasting the victor of an ensuing race. So, let us know whether you think Chase Elliott still has a shot to make the playoffs or not.

Read More: “There Is Nothing Telling Me This Team Is Ready To Go Win a Race” – NASCAR Legend Bashes Chase Elliott As He Declares the Road Course King Has Lost It’s Crown