Should one inquire about the most crestfallen souls on the NASCAR planet as of now, undoubtedly, it would be the die-hard fans of Chase Elliott. However, the sentiment is not universal. Some in the community have decried the somber ambiance that has taken over much of the NASCAR world. Some others maintain that Elliott’s failure to enter the playoffs, although unfortunate, is but one of 20 others.

Yet, in this sea of lamentations, NASCAR luminary Kyle Petty seems eager to turn the page. Voicing his perspective on the NASCAR on NBC podcast, he opined that it’s high time the media and enthusiasts extend some breathing room to Hendrick Motorsports‘ #9 driver, especially considering the whirlwind events at Watkins Glen and Daytona.

“Just another race car driver,” quips the NASCAR stalwart about Chase Elliott

The racing world, from fervent enthusiasts to esteemed NASCAR magnates and contemporaries, had high stakes in Chase Elliott, particularly after the Indianapolis spectacle. Such overwhelming expectations probably nudged Elliott to pull out all the stops for a berth in the playoffs.

Yet, according to Kyle Petty, instead of fueling his ambition, this immense weight of expectation possibly became his Achilles’ heel, culminating in the Watkins Glen debacle. Petty insinuated that Elliott’s frenzied zeal to qualify might have been the precursor to that unfortunate event.

Articulating his perspective, Petty elaborated, “I think Chase, they put themselves in a good position at the end of the race. It is not the end of the world that Chase Elliott didn’t make to playoffs. There are 35 other guys out there drive race cars, trying to do exactly the same thing. We talk about him because he is the most popular driver. So since he’s the cool kid in school and the most popular driver, then we have to elevate him to a different place. But in the end, he is just another race car driver.”

Petty further underscored that it’s unjust to lay blame for Elliott’s missing the playoffs. With a six-race injury hiatus compounded by a one-race suspension, fate dealt Elliott a tough hand.

Further, Petty critiqued the undue strain foisted upon Elliott by the media and his fans, potentially precipitating his Watkins Glen debacle. He elaborated, “You put so much pressure on Chase. And I am defending Chase when I say this: We put so much pressure on him that’s undeserved, it’s undeserved. […] I think we saw the pressure begin to get to him in the really last 2–3 weeks. His qualifying effort at Watkins Glen: miserable. The miscommunication, or mis-decision, or whatever happened at Watkins Glen, unacceptable.”

In a broader context, Petty juxtaposed Elliott’s season with the journeys of numerous NASCAR icons of yore, emphasizing that perhaps this just wasn’t Elliott’s year to shine. And that, in the grand scheme of things, is perfectly fine.

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Kyle Petty remarks that not qualifying for the playoffs is part of the game

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The echo of disappointment resounded in NASCAR circles when its poster boy failed to secure a berth in the playoffs. Yet, through the sage eyes of Kyle Petty, it’s merely par for the course. Drawing parallels with the racing giants of yore, he stated that at some point in their illustrious careers, they all felt the sting of not qualifying for the coveted playoffs. Perhaps it’s time we bite the bullet and move on.

“There were years it just didn’t happen for Dale Earnhardt Sr.; there were years when it didn’t happen for Richard Petty, or Jeff Gordon, or Jimmie Johnson. You just have those years,” Petty elucidated.

Additionally, Petty underscored that Hendrick Motorsports didn’t quite hit their stride this season, a factor that undoubtedly influenced Elliott’s absence from the playoffs.

Petty’s assessment strikes a chord of truth. As ardent fans of NASCAR, there’s a fine line between cheering for our favorites and saddling them with unrelenting expectations. Such undue pressure can sometimes tip the scales the wrong way. In Petty’s sage words, this setback is but a “blip on a radar screen,” and given Elliott’s prowess on the track, his trajectory is bound to soar in the forthcoming seasons.

Read More: “They Won’t Let Us” – NASCAR Snubbed Michael McDowell’s Streak During Chase Elliott’s Failed Do-or-Die Moment at Daytona