For 5 consecutive seasons between 2018 and 2022, Chase Elliott gained a number of races yearly and racked up 18 Cup Collection wins. However within the three years since, NASCAR’s Most In style Driver has solely added a single win to that complete
Regardless of this, it is laborious to say Elliott has fallen off as he ended the 2024 season with the most effective common end of any full-time driver within the discipline. He is began 2025 off stable as properly and sits fourth within the standings — the very best of any winless driver. And that is the confounding factor concerning the second-generation racer. He’s consistently close to the entrance, however it’s develop into more and more uncommon to see him go to Victory Lane.
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photograph by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos
His solely victory within the final 80 begins got here in a high-attrition race at Texas Motor Speedway in April of final yr. He was operating second to Denny Hamlin on a late-race restart, however a useful push from Ross Chastain allowed him to nostril forward simply as a warning flew for a mid-pack crash. That put Elliott within the lead for the restart that adopted, permitting him to carry off Hamlin who spun wildly into the skin wall whereas trying to carry the skin line by Turns 3 and 4. Elliott then battled Chastain on the ultimate restart, conserving him at bay and capturing the checkered flag.
This weekend, Elliott returns to the location of his most up-to-date victory with a recent gold paint scheme, celebrating 100 years of sponsor NAPA. When Elliott gained at Texas, he snapped a 42-race winless streak. He returns to the difficult intermediate observe going through the same scenario. Whilst he celebrated that win final April, Elliott appeared to realize it wasn’t the start of a sudden turnaround.
“I nonetheless assume now we have a variety of work to do, for positive,” Elliott mentioned within the winner’s press convention. “Plenty of issues went our method right now, I’m not naïve to that, for positive as properly. It’s a must to be within the combine. You bought to be up entrance to even have issues go your method. We had been shut sufficient to do this. We nonetheless need to be higher. I believe now we have room for enchancment. Simply happy with the best way every little thing labored out. It’s much more enjoyable once you’re preventing for wins and up entrance battling, whether or not it goes your method or doesn’t go your method. Simply to have a shot is fulfilling.”
Chase Elliott gold paint scheme for Texas 2025
However what’s the lacking piece? Based mostly on Elliott’s feedback lately, the automotive itself appears to be a part of it. Like a number of different prime drivers from the tip of the Gen-6 period, they’ve struggled to regulate to this Subsequent-Gen car and the totally different fashion of driving it requires.
The championship format does not assist both. Elliott appears to be the king of consistency. Together with that series-leading common end of 11.7 from final yr, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Collection champion has simply 5 DNFs within the final 75 races (going again to the beginning of 2023) with none up to now this yr. Nonetheless, operating properly does not result in a Championship 4 look. Even essentially the most constant drivers should exit and win races and the No. 9 staff hasn’t been in a position to do this. However hey, possibly historical past will repeat itself at Texas on Sunday…
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