The return of the Chase format may have clarified the championship picture for fans and viewers, but from Chase Elliott\u2019s seat, it does not fundamentally reshape how drivers approach the job inside the car. The Hendrick Motorsports standout believes the underlying mindset remains intact because the structure governing race points, stage points, and weekly execution has not been rewritten. Drivers will still chase wins, manage stages, and stack consistent finishes, just as they did before.<\/p>\n
Consistency, in particular, has been Elliott\u2019s calling card over the past several seasons. While the number of win totals has fluctuated, his presence near the front of the field has remained steady. For example, last season, Elliott won two races, logged 11 top-five finishes, placed inside the top 10 on 19 occasions, and led 454 laps across the year.<\/p>\n
Again, in 2024, Elliott earned one win, posted 11 top fives, recorded 19 top-10 finishes, claimed a pole position, and paced the field for 431 laps. In both campaigns, he advanced to the Round of 8 through consistent execution.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why he said in a recent interview, \u201cI think no different than it was before (racing mentality). We made decisions and strategy as it pertains to stage points and things of that nature based on what we had going on in the points,\u201d outlining how strategy has always flowed from context.<\/p>\n
He added<\/a>, \u201cCertainly, as you got to the Round of 12 and the Round of eight, I don\u2019t really see that being a whole lot. You\u2019re just going to be making those decisions, not necessarily in the last two or three weeks. That\u2019s when we\u2019re going to start coming along\u2026 I think that\u2019s the whole point of this deal is there\u2019s enough time for it to sort itself out. And it\u2019s going to be uh it\u2019s going to be the same crowd it\u2019s always been.\u201d<\/p>\n To him, the Chase ultimately becomes a test of continuous execution among a familiar group. Six or seven teams will have a legitimate chance to string together the right results over a 10-race stretch. The challenge lies in stacking solid runs week after week, avoiding missteps, and delivering clean, repeatable performances rather than swinging for desperation plays.<\/p>\n