Coming off the high of the 2020 Cup Series Championship, things couldn’t look any better for Chase Elliott, but in the final moments of the 2021 Daytona 500, it all unraveled for Elliott. Chasing his first-ever win at the track, Elliott was on track to win the race, emerging out of the carnage of massive crashes. Yet, a last-moment move from Michael McDowell meant he only finished a runner-up, and the dream of winning the Great American Race remained just a dream. Cut to 2025 and Chase Elliott has not only started his 2025 season on a high note but his career in the NASCAR Cup Series overall.

With just a few days left for the Daytona 500, Chase Elliott reflected on his failures at the Daytona 500

Chase Elliott’s sharp approach to the Daytona 500

Many people often consider the Daytona 500 the prestigious event on the NASCAR calendar. The race purse is not only high, but it also attracts a high number of stand attendance between 150,000 to 200,000. The atmosphere drivers experience at the Great American Race is unique it’s own way as it gives drivers the platform to interact with fans and media. The entire week feels like a racing fest.

While speaking from the competition point of view, Elliott opened up about it on Dirty Mo Media. As he explained, “It has always felt like its own event,” he said. “I’ve always tried to enjoy the 500. It’s such a special moment. I know it’s part of the season and that it counts, but it has always felt like its own event.” It was only in 2016 that he debuted in the Daytona 500, becoming the youngest pole sitter in NASCAR history; however, he finished in 37th position after his car spun out and got damaged. He further expressed, 

“I try to take all that in, but I think for me, from a competition standpoint, just trying to, you know, try to put yourself in a good position; I think is really all you can do. Hopefully, stay out of the mess. We’ve had a couple of good opportunities to win that race and have come up a little short, you know? So I hope at some point down the road, we can, you know, have one go completely our way. But, you know, this is, I guess, as good a time as any. So, hopefully, we can, you know, put it all together.”

There have been a series of incidents that have kept him away from his Daytona title. From the start of his rookie season, where he had high hopes and even led most of the initial laps, a spin-out on lap 18 cost him the Daytona 500 title. What makes it even more frustrating for Elliott is living up to the legacy of Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, his father, who won at the track twice! 

Elliott’s experience comes from his very recent experience at the 2024 Stage 1 incident that led to a multi-car crash caused by Brad Keselowski’s car making contact with John Hunter Nemechek’s car, which further caused a chain reaction of crashes. Despite the tough situation, Elliott showcased his navigating skills and won Stage 1. In the Daytona Dual lineup 1, he is starting at 8th position, going ahead, he positively reflected on using his experience as he shared during the media day, “There’s a lot of experiences in all of that I think can help shape you and mold you to be better, and the only thing you can control is today moving forward.”

With the stakes at an all-time high, Chase Elliott will look to turn this around this year. For now, it’s time to take a look at the moment that turned the Daytona 500 a special event in NASCAR..

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How did the Daytona 500 become a landmark in NASCAR history?

It is also noteworthy that the Daytona 500 was the first race broadcast on CBS in 1979, leaving a lasting mark in motorsports history and attracting fans with the memorable “water cooler moment” stemming from the lead fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison.

It was on February 18, 1979, that CBS broadcasted the Daytona 500 live due to a severe winter storm affecting the Midwest and Northeastern U.S., drawing approximately 15 million viewers. The Cup Series was a landmark season, where Richard Petty won his final championship title and Dale Earnhardt’s debut as the NASCAR Rookie of the Year. The race also featured an intense final lap collision between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, allowing Richard Petty to secure victory despite starting in 13th position. The finish was dramatic, as viewers witnessed a live fistfight between Yarborough and Allison. The incident occurred as Allison attempted to block Carl from passing. That led Yarborough to finish second and Allison third.

The other Daytona race whose record hasn’t broken any record to date is of the most delayed race by 6 hours and 22 minutes due to rain issues in 2008. This race also marked the 50th year of the NASCAR race at the Speedway. The 2014 Daytona 500 was important for 2 reasons, first, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his second race at the Speedway, and second after the tragic crash of Earnhardt Sr. in 2001, it was the first time Austin Dillon drove the No.3 car of the legend. 

This year, Daytona has once again proved its prestige by attracting world-class drivers to race on the track of the Great American Race, along with the entry of JR Motorsports.