The last time Chase Elliott reached the Championship 4 was in 2022. His momentum was at its peak at the time, and he drove by his strength — the composure to consistently bring his car home in strong positions without resorting to rough or risky driving tactics. That same philosophy guides him heading into Talladega this year.
Advertisement
Sitting sixth in the standings and 23 points below the cutline to make it to this year’s Championship 4, Elliott is showing no sign of letting pressure cloud his racing instincts. He has no intention of throwing caution to the wind or forcing risky moves for a last-ditch track position or points.
Elliott believes that patience pays, and he cited the example of his friend Ryan Blaney as proof of that.
“I don’t look at it that way,” the Hendrick Motorsports Driver said. “The best example I can give you is Ryan Blaney. [He] doesn’t make crazy blocks, and he wins more of these things than anybody else, and Denny [Hamlin], too. Those guys put themselves in good positions, smart positions.”
Elliott wants to take each race and each lap as it comes and do what’s necessary. “I don’t think you have to get super crazy and wild to be smart and put yourself in positions to win these races and then ultimately to go win them. So I’m gonna try and make my decisions based on what I think is the right decision at that time to give ourselves the best chance to win,” he said.
“And if it works out, then great, and if it doesn’t, then you have to have confidence in the moves you make to make them successful,” added Elliott.
“I don’t think you have to get super crazy and wild to be smart and put yourself in positions to win these races.” @chaseelliott
He named @Blaney and @dennyhamlin as good examples of not making crazy moves. #NASCAR
Presenting Partner: Billy’s Tequila (https://t.co/v0kmSf3lIA)… pic.twitter.com/YUuweRhYGS
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) October 18, 2025
In 53 starts on drafting tracks, Elliott has won four and carries an average finish of 15.8. At Talladega, his average finish stands at 14.1, third best among active drivers, with two wins, six top fives, and nine top 10s in 19 starts. In this spring’s race on the track, he clawed his way from 30th on the grid to finish fifth.
For the #9 HMS driver, the mission is to stay consistent, collect stage points, and avoid getting caught in the crossfire. With his steady hand and knack for surviving the storm, Elliott knows he doesn’t need heroics to punch his ticket to Phoenix.
Just another cool-headed run will be enough to keep him in the hunt when it matters most.
