“They Are Both Not in the Playoffs” – Christopher Bell Scrutinizes Chase Elliott & Alex Bowman While Addressing Ultimate Sacrifice for Joe Gibbs

NASCAR has a rich tradition of drivers venturing into other forms of racing beyond its core formats of Cup, Truck, and Xfinity series. Notable names like Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Busch have all explored different racing series, showcasing their versatility and passion for the sport.

However, it’s crucial to recognize that the NASCAR world inherently comes with risks. Last year, Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman experienced accidents that resulted in concussions, leading to significant consequences. In light of these challenges, Joe Gibbs Prodigy stepped up to emphasize the crucial lesson of learning from these events and preventing similar mistakes in the future.

Joe Gibbs’ driver used Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman’s example for his decision

Leading up to the 2023 season, Chase Elliott suffered a tibia fracture from a snowboarding accident, causing him to miss the first six out of 26 regular season races, which had a significant impact on his performance.

Similarly, Alex Bowman faced an unfortunate back injury during a Sprint car race while leading the standings for the first time. This setback kept him sidelined for three weeks, including the All-Star race and dropped him to 17th place in the standings upon his return.

During the second race of the NASCAR Playoffs at Kansas Raceway, Joe Gibbs driver Christopher Bell, who had qualified on pole, was asked about not competing in dirt races this year.

In response, Christopher Bell replied, “It’s been a change of pace for sure, but I recognize the importance of my day job and how important it is for me to be here week in and week out. We saw it with the 9 (Chase Elliott) and 48 (Alex Bowman) – they are both not in the Playoffs because of what they did outside of their day jobs. I’m so fortunate to be in this position driving Coach Joe Gibbs. I understand that this is the priority.”

Bell highlighted how Chase Elliott’s injury had caused him to miss the playoffs; however, it’s challenging to pinpoint a specific reason for Elliott’s first miss in his eight-year streak with HMS. But a veteran pointed one out.

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Interestingly, John Hunter Nemechek also started with Kyle Busch Motorsports before transitioning to Joe Gibbs Racing, but it seems they are on the verge of parting ways in the near future. This marks a new chapter for both Nemechek and the team.

What was the real reason for Chase Elliott to miss the NASCAR playoffs?

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Chase Elliott’s comeback was marked by a streak of consecutive top-10 finishes. However, his momentum began to wane as the pressure of qualifying for the NASCAR playoffs intensified. A significant setback occurred at Watkins Glen when his team made a crucial error, causing him to run out of fuel and stop his car in the middle of the bus stop.

The combination of NASCAR playoffs pressure, team mishaps, a suspension, and injury could all be factors contributing to his playoff miss. Kenny Wallace, on his show, may have pointed out one of these factors as the most significant contributor to Elliott’s playoff absence.

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During Kenny Wallace’s show, he said, “What do you think about the race car drivers? They miss nine weeks, that’s three months almost. So, you know as far as Chase Elliott missing the playoffs, I’m gonna blame it all on the skiing accident.”

What are your thoughts?