If you’re around Chase Elliott this weekend at the Charlotte Roval, don’t be surprised if he is humming or whistling one of the biggest songs ever by late country singer Glen Campbell: “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.”
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You see, while the race at the Roval – which is the only road course event in the 10-race NASCAR Cup playoffs – is important to most other drivers, Elliott has somewhat of a luxury in that he is also thinking ahead to qualifying for the Championship 4 season finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 2.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to race this weekend like we’re going to have to race the next three weeks following that and get our team in a position where that’s the norm because if you want to get to Phoenix, that’s got to be the mindset there anyway. So, you might as well embrace it and enjoy it.”
Elliott, who won the NASCAR Cup championship in 2020, is already a lock into the next round, the Round of Eight, by virtue of having won this past Sunday at Kansas Speedway, having snuck by Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace in the final several hundred feet of the frontstretch on the last lap to take the checkered flag.
So, even though the Roval has historically been one of Elliott’s better tracks – in seven starts, he has two wins, three top five, and five top 10 finishes – he doesn’t really have to put as much emphasis on Sunday’s race, knowing he’s already guaranteed to move on to the semifinal round of the following three races.
Next Sunday at Las Vegas, followed a week later at Talladega and one week after that, the final race that will determine which four drivers advance to Phoenix to battle for the championship, at Martinsville Speedway.
But the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS isn’t totally forgetting about the Roval, either. If he finishes strong, including winning one or two stages, he’ll add to the playoff points he already has.
“My mind is really all about Charlotte right now because five more points would be a really big deal for us starting the next round and we will be in a position where you’re going to have to fight for wins over the next round too,” the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott said.
