The importance of a good spotter simply cannot be overstated in NASCAR as the right call by a spotter can make or break a driver’s race. Interestingly, ahead of the 2024 season, Chase Elliott decided to part ways with his long-time spotter, Eddie D’Hondt, the reason for which wasn’t really revealed, until recently.
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Elliott opened up on why he felt it was time for a change in the spotter stand for the #9 team. “We just got to a point where we felt like if we were going to make a change, now was the right time to do it,” he said.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver deemed his old spotter “a great teammate,” and despite him no longer being his spotter, they still share a good relationship. “He’s been a huge part of our team for a long time. I don’t want that to get lost in translation. I think a lot of him as a person, and he’s done a lot for me. I appreciate that,” he described.
“This is year nine, right? It’s like if you’re going to make a transition or try something different, it just kind of felt like now was the time to do it.”
Chase Elliott said changing his spotter for 2024 was a group decision. His cousin, Trey Poole, who has been the teams second spotter at races where they use multiple ones, is replacing Eddie D’Hondt this year (D’Hondt landed with Josh Berry). Elliott explains the move: pic.twitter.com/yxDnIMkbRy
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 19, 2024
Will Trey Poole be a radical change of a spotter for Chase Elliott?
Speaking about his new spotter, Trey Poole, NASCAR’s most popular driver said their “number 2 spotter” of the last few years seemed like “the right fit” and the right choice for the #9 team. Elliott claimed Poole is “a very straightforward individual.”
“I think he has his eyes set on the right things, and ultimately, just performance, low drama, not a lot of ego — all of those qualities I really enjoy in a spotter,” he described. Having said that, Chase Elliott clarified that his previous spotter, O’Hondt, was also “low drama” and didn’t have an ego.
He claimed that this makes this transition of spotter not that radical of a change, but enough of a change that was worth trying to see where it goes.
