Having only been in NASCAR for 10 years, Chase Elliott had never previously broached the topic of his retirement plans. However, he recently chose to share his views on the matter, indicating that his perspective closely mirrors how his father is relishing his time after the sport.
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Ahead of the 2025 season’s first race at Daytona, when questioned about his post-retirement plans, Elliott confessed that he hasn’t made any decisions yet, preferring to cross that bridge when he comes to it.
He elaborated during the Media Day interactions, “I don’t know what I would want to do. It’s a hard thing to — It’s kind of one of those things.”
“I’ve watched other guys leave and come back. I’ve kind of seen it all, I guess, depending upon who it is. But I think those feelings, those emotions, that timing or whatever’s next — you have to kind of assess those things when that time comes,” Elliott added.
The #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver believes that much can change in the coming years. Perspectives may shift, and interests could evolve. That’s why he prefers to confront these decisions as they arise, considering that’s the appropriate time for such choices.
But for now, he has no intentions of departing and hopes to remain in the NASCAR fray for several more years. So far Elliott has achieved a lot of success in his career. A few highlights include securing a Cup championship (in 2020), 19 wins across 322 starts, and finishing 171 races in the top 10.
However, there remains a trove of accolades he is yet to claim, including wins at events like the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His consistent performance on the track has nonetheless highlighted his potential.
Last season, despite winning only one race, Elliott managed to secure a seventh-place finish in the driver standings by the end of the season. In fact, since his full-time entry into the NASCAR Cup series in 2016, Elliott has displayed unmatched consistency, finishing in the top 10 in all seasons except for 2023, when he was sidelined for seven races.
Junior Elliott approves of Dad’s retirement phase
Bill Elliott has not only carved a legacy on the racetrack himself but has also watched his son, Chase, follow in his father’s footsteps, and chase victories on many of the same circuits he once dominated.
But now, as Bill enjoys his well-earned retirement, away from the race track, Chase seems genuinely content with his father’s new phase and interest in life. Reflecting on his father’s retirement, he remarked in an interview last year:
“(He is) taking some time to himself. Doing the things he wants to do. I think he has earned that… He doesn’t come to as many races as he probably did early on in my career. Like I tell a lot of people, he has been running the circle for a long time. So, at this point, it’s totally like, ‘Man, I get it. Enjoy being home and enjoy retirement. You’ve had a wonderful career.’ I think, at this point, he is finally doing that”
While his father may no longer be a fixture at the track, the junior Elliott has ensured that the family’s racing heritage continues. His performances on the track and his charm off the track have earned him the Most Popular Driver Award seven times, placing him just behind his father and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the tally.
