Chase Elliott is not the racer he once was in the NASCAR Cup Series. Ever since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022, Elliott has struggled to make an impact, struggling to cope with its dynamics.
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Once a consistent contender for the Victory Lane throughout the year, the No. 9 Chevrolet driver is nowhere near the level or competency he had as a road course master behind the wheel of the sixth-generation car.
While drivers such as Elliott seem unable to adapt, NASCAR prodigy Carson Hocevar is busy earning his stripes and ruffling feathers as well. Hocevar’s growing reputation and Elliott’s slide have led to speculation that Hendrick Motorsports might rope him in to replace the senior driver. The talks were fuelled further in Nashville.
The Spire Motorsports driver is considered rough around the edges due to his aggressiveness on track or his race craft. But the fact remains that he is one of the most promising upcoming talents in the sport. He has the results to back that up, too.
At the Nashville Superspeedway, Hocevar finished runner-up to Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. The result matched his career-best finish in the Cup Series from the Atlanta race earlier this year.
Hendrick Motorsports’ Vice President of Competition, Chad Knaus, was seen meeting the young driver after the race. He appeared to congratulate the Michigan native on his achievement.
This meeting has fueled speculation among fans about whether someone at HMS could be replaced by Hocevar. More importantly, what if they were looking to replace Elliott?
Second place finish for Carson Hocevar. Matches his career-best from Atlanta earlier this year
Chad Knaus came over to say good job as Carson's media obligations were winding down pic.twitter.com/7QJ5j15Q3o
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) June 2, 2025
“Future driver of the 9 car. I’m calling it now,” wrote one fan, trying to predict what’s in store. “Give him the 9 car,” stated another, wanting to see Elliott replaced.
Taking Alex Bowman into the same boat as Elliott, another fan said, “Honestly, if we’re being real, Chase and Alex don’t deserve a spot at Hendrick anymore. They’ve both fallen off a cliff since the start of the Next Gen era.”
Whether something so drastic will pan out at Rick Hendrick’s race team remains to be seen.
Given that HMS is one of the most desirable teams to drive for in NASCAR, the organization will weigh all the factors before making a decision. Especially considering Elliott is the most popular driver in the series.
