Chase Elliott finds the lens through which his performance is viewed, compared to what he has felt and lived, interesting.
Take the 2025 season. Elliott and his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team kicked things off by winning the exhibition event at Bowman Gray Stadium, a feat he will look to repeat Sunday. By season’s end, while the numbers looked similar to his 2024 season with 19 top-10 finishes and 11 top-five finishes, cumulatively, Elliott had put together one of his better seasons since 2022, when looking at laps led and having multiple race wins.
«Obviously, the Clash went really well, which doesn’t have anything to do with the numbers,» Elliott told ESPN. «But that part went well. I thought some of the opening speedway races went well. Truthfully, I think some of the numbers were reflected by the fact that we didn’t get caught up in the wrecks. And that skews things, right, when you have fewer numbers there early in the season.
«I really didn’t feel like our performance got to its peak until probably the last month or month and a half of the season. That’s when I felt like, ‘Hey, we’re leading some laps and just more competitive and giving ourselves more opportunities.'»
And that is where the disconnect comes in between what it looks like to the outside and how Elliott says things are going. NASCAR’s most popular driver and 2020 series champion, like his father, former driver and champion Bill Elliott, is not one to get too high or too low. Chase Elliott is straightforward in his conversations and has never seemed to get caught up in the stat sheet — whether in his favor or not.
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Elliott has three victories in the past two seasons. A disappointing fall off after he quickly racked up 18 in five seasons (2018 to 2022).
«It’s been a lot of hard work,» Elliott said. «There’s been a lot of really bad weekends and days that you go home just miserable, and you just want to, not throw in the towel, but figure it out. And I’m not even saying figure it out tomorrow, but one step. One step at a time.
«Look, Atlanta was a speedway race. Kansas, I thought we were actually really competitive throughout the day … and for that, I can be proud. We were in the picture and I can be super proud of that, of the efforts, and of the whole thing. So, I look for more weekends like that.»
NASCAR has reintroduced the Chase format this season as the way to crown its champion. The final 10 races will take the top 16 drivers in the standings and reset the field for championship contention. A race win also means more, as 15 more points will be awarded for such a triumph.
Does a format change mean it’s more important than ever for a driver to come out of the gate strong, such as winning at Bowman Gray and carrying that into the year? With as long a season as NASCAR has, there are bound to be plenty of ups and downs. Elliott is one of those who believes it will all average itself out and hopes that includes his team being in the picture when the Chase comes around.
«The really good drivers and teams,» Elliott said, «are always going to find their way to where they belong.»
