Chase Elliott has recently addressed claims of frustration over his winless stretch, now extending beyond 20 race weeks.
Elliott’s last victory came at the Texas Motor Speedway during the 2024 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400. Despite the lengthy period since his last win, Elliott remains unfazed, attributing his current streak to the evolving dynamics and heightened competition in NASCAR’s Next-Gen era.
Historically, Elliott broke a 42-race winless streak with his Texas victory, ending a stretch that began after his triumph at Talladega in October 2022. The 2023 season was particularly difficult for him, as he contended with a skiing accident resulting in a fractured tibia, sidelining him for six races. Additionally, an on-track incident at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte led to a one-race suspension for intentionally wrecking fellow driver Denny Hamlin.
Despite this, Elliott’s perspective on this winless period is positive. He commented to the media:
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“I don’t necessarily find it frustrating… It does seem like we have a more consistent widespread number of winners yearly since we’ve had this car. So, that’s been interesting to watch.”
In preparation for the upcoming race at the Roval, Elliott views the track as presenting a new challenge. Changes to the track are likely to influence the race’s dynamics, leading Elliott to treat it like he would a new circuit. He continued:
“Yeah, to me, I kind of look at it like it’s a new race track, truthfully. That section of the track is going to change the entire flow of the lap there, so I’ve been kind of approaching it as a new track with my preparation. I’ve spent some time in the simulator, just trying to really memorize the track and where the little bumps are.”
Elliott’s recent history includes strong finishes such as a runner-up position at the Indianapolis road course and third-place finishes at both Darlington and the Chicago street course in the 2023 season.
Despite not having a win under his belt, Elliott remains in the Cup Series playoff fight. Ahead of the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Elliott is in the eighth position in the playoff standings. Charlotte is the last race before the Round of 8 begins.
NASCAR Cup Series: Current Playoff Standings
- William Byron – 74 points
- Christopher Bell – 57 points
- Kyle Larson – 52 points
- Denny Hamlin – 30 points
- Alex Bowman – 26 points
- Ryan Blaney – 25 points
- Tyler Reddick – 14 points
- Chase Elliott – 13 points
On The Bubble: - Joey Logano – -13 points
- Daniel Suárez – -20 points
- Austin Cindric – -29 points
- Chase Briscoe – -32 points
