Chase Elliott might have already secured his next round in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, yet the former champion is not celebrating – not yet. To Elliott, this is not just a run to get through the eliminations in this postseason. It is more than mere relevance, legacy, and demonstrating that he is still part of the elite at NASCAR.
Elliott, who has been fighting to keep his status with the team of powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports and still remains one of the most popular drivers in the sport, is now being surrounded by an ever-growing controversy in the garage. It is not a matter of whether he is talented or not. Whether he can still fire enough to become a champion in the present-day hyper-competitive NASCAR world.
Caught in, and deprived of Power.
Chase Elliott has played well in the playoffs up to now; however, not outstandingly. He has escaped the big errors, has not overstepped the cutline, but has done the bare minimum to make progress. Nevertheless, in a postseason that is momentum-based, just enough will not give trophies.
As other competitors such as Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Ryan Blaney have proven their ability to be a weekly threat, Elliott has been floating along the 10s, a secure area, but hardly something to be proud of. After the most recent playoff race, Elliott admitted that they were moving forward. But we are not where we would like to be. Going forward is fine; contending wins are greater.
He is very impatient, it is clear, and so is the restlessness in Hendrick Motorsports. No. 9 team has had a hard time finding speed at the beginning of the races and has been lagging in the stage points, which is more of a disadvantage as the later the races in the season, the more expensive it becomes.
The Fight for Relevancy
This story is the one that few may have guessed at the beginning of 2020, when Elliott became the future of NASCAR, having won his first Cup Series title at the Phoenix Raceway. It seemed to be the starting point of a dynasty. However, since then, the momentum has died off. He has fought injuries, inconsistency, and a season of winless races that lasted longer than any period in his Cup career.
Although he has rebounded this season with better performance, he has not yet come back to a contender status, at least not yet. The term irrelevant is too harsh towards a driver who continues to receive the loudest applause during the introduction of drivers. But Elliott is certainly struggling to regain the vitality and influence that he had on the sport.
Can the No. 9 Team Close the Gap?
Crew chief Alan Gustafson has been working hard to eliminate the gap in speed, although the crew continues to have issues with the pace and balance in the long run. Good cars grow to be average, and stage points are lost. The future playoff songs will be a challenge to Elliott in terms of flexibility and appetite.
Homestead is a road track that handles tires – a talent he holds. Martinsville is well adapted to his patience and accuracy. Phoenix, the place of the championship, and where his work started. Now is the appropriate time to silence the critics in case Elliott is going to do so. One of the NASCAR analysts said, Chase has the talent. What he lacks is momentum– and that is what championships are made with. If he finds it now, watch out.”
More Than Just a Playoff Run
Elliott does not run the risk of losing his ride. He isn’t fading from NASCAR. Yet it is pride and purpose that this postseason is about. It is about demonstrating that the 2020 title was not the climax and the beginning of a significantly longer narrative. He’s advancing. He’s competitive. But he is aware of the fact that it is not the norm to survive, and neither is the audience. Great drivers don’t settle. They rise. And in the next several weeks, NASCAR will know whether Chase Elliott has another upsurge in him.