Chase Elliott is not one for the spotlight. The Hendrick Motorsports star prefers to let his driving do the talking rather than promoting himself or NASCAR. Unlike other top drivers, he avoids media engagements and rarely steps into the promotional side of the sport. This has built an aura of mystery around him, but it has also frustrated some fans who wish he would embrace the role of NASCAR’s most popular driver.

While Elliott remains focused on racing, his reluctance to engage off the track has long been a point of debate. But 2025 has brought an unexpected change. In a surprising move, Elliott recently joined Bubba Wallace for a promotional event in Chicago.

Why did Chase Elliott join the promotional events?

As NASCAR returns to the iconic Bowman Gray stadium for the clash, after 54 years, fans are excited about the event. To promote the iconic event, NASCAR has organized multiple events across the city. However, fans were shocked when they saw seven times Most Popular Drivers awarded Elliott participating in promotions.

Notably, Chase Elliott has been vocal about his appearances at promotional events. He has sidelined himself from Netflix’s ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ documentary. This approach has earned him a dedicated fan base but has also led to criticism from those who believe he should do more to help NASCAR grow.

NASCAR’s newly launched driver-centric marketing plan seems to have played a key role in this decision. The program offers financial incentives to drivers who actively promote the sport. The total pool for these incentives is expected to be between $10 million and $20 million annually. Out of this budget, the series will pay drivers anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars up to around $1M, depending on their promotional efforts.

Unlike past legends like Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty, today’s drivers often lack mainstream appeal. The Netflix docuseries Full Speed was introduced to bridge this gap, allowing fans to connect with drivers on a personal level. However, Elliott, despite being the sport’s most popular driver, refused to participate. The Hendrick Motorsports driver’s reluctance drew criticism from fans who questioned whether he truly embraced his role as NASCAR’s face.

While fans celebrate Chase Elliott’s recent media appearances, he is focused on the upcoming season. After a mixed run in the 2024 season, Elliott is hopeful for a comeback in the upcoming season. Speaking with the Fox 32 Chicago he said, “I think for us you it was nice to get back to Victory Lane for sure, but really beyond that, just the way we ended our season last year I thought was really really solid… Looking forward to building on that for a third straight year.”

Notably, Chase Elliott had started his 2024 season after missing out on the playoffs of the previous season. After initial struggles, he delivered a solid postseason run, securing seven top-10 finishes in 10 playoff races. Elliott’s lone victory of the season came at Texas Motor Speedway in April. It was his first win in two years and his 19th career Cup Series victory.

However, despite leading more than 200 laps in the playoffs, Elliott fell short of a title shot and finished seventh in the final standings. It marked his eighth top-10 championship finish in nine full-time seasons, proving his consistency at the highest level. Notably, his average finish of 11.7 was his best since 2021. Now as the 2025 season approaches, Elliott would hope to continue his 2024 postseason run.

Elliott’s Crew chief reveals massive Bowman Gray challenge

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Ahead of the Cup Series Season, Chase Elliott is gearing up for the return of NASCAR at Bowman Gray Stadium. After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Elliott, and his crew chief, Alan Gustafson, are determined to start fresh in 2025. However, this comes with some challenges, especially on the relatively unknown track.

Bowman Gray is unlike any other venue on the NASCAR schedule. The quarter-mile track delivers chaotic, bumper-to-bumper racing. Unlike the L.A. Coliseum, which previously hosted the Clash, Bowman Gray features a unique surface and sharper corners, making navigation even tougher. Drivers will have little room for error as they battle for position.

Chase Elliott’s crew chief Gustafson admits the challenge. “I think setups are going to be very similar just because we don’t have any other knowledge of Bowman Gray. The Coliseum was almost a little more peaked in the corners. The curbing and the paint and all of those little nuances, too, but for us, we’ve just kind of got to go off of our experiences at similar tracks,” he told Hendrick Motorsports.

Notably, unlike traditional oval circuits, Bowman Gray forces drivers into close quarters, racing with little margin for mistakes. The track’s physical nature means aggressive driving will be necessary. With no prior Cup Series experience at this venue, teams will be flying blind in the opening laps. However, it will be interesting to see how top NASCAR drivers would navigate the track and start the season with a bang.