Chase Elliott has two Cup Series wins each at four tracks: Talladega, Watkins Glen, Dover, and Charlotte Roval. While all four are tied for the venues in which he has won the most, it is the Dover Motor Speedway that he considers to be where he is at his best. He explained his choice in a recent interview with hendrickmotorsports.com.
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“I don’t really know why that place has been good for me, but it has for sure, and I’m thankful for it,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed going up there. It’s a challenging track. I think it just kind of suits some of the things that I want behind the wheel.” His favoritism brings up the question of whether it is backed by statistics.
His 10 top 5 finishes in Dover are his highest among any track on the schedule. He has led more laps in Martinsville (1,233) and has a better finishing rate in the Charlotte Roval (7.7), however, Dover is certainly one of his best tracks. He continued to detail his love for racing in the 1-mile oval track.
He said, “You just go to certain tracks, and for whatever reason, that place just suits how somebody wants to drive. I think it really suited the old car and how I wanted to drive it there, not quite as much in the new one, but certainly more than other tracks do.” His most recent victory in Dover came in 2022. Previously, he had won in 2018.
Chase Elliott’s past success at the Dover Motor Speedway
Elliott’s victories in Dover carry special significance. In 2018, he became the track’s youngest winner ever. In 2022, his win broke a 26-race winless streak that was starting to cast questions on his skill. Despite these achievements and his affinity for the track, he has not been able to point the finger at what makes it so appealing to race in Dover.
He did, however, mention that he enjoyed racing the previous generation Cup Series car at the track more than he does the Next Gen car. Even by this standard, no other track comes close to being his favorite today. Last year, he finished in fifth place after starting the race in 29th place, while Denny Hamlin won the event.
For 2025, Dover Motor Speedway will host the Cup Series field on July 20. Elliott will be looking forward to making high-banked concrete oval his single track with the highest number of wins.
