Alex Bowman being disqualified from the race at Charlotte Roval was a harsh awakening for the rest of the field. His #48 Chevrolet Camaro did not pass the minimum weight requirement during post-race inspection and he lost a Round of 8 spot because of the error.
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Will such unexpected events cause drivers to be more cautious while celebrating their wins going forward?
Some might try to curb their excitement after winning a race or getting a good result till their cars are out of post-race inspection. But Chase Elliott won’t. Or rather, can’t.
The #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver detailed his views on the matter during a press conference in Las Vegas. He is one of the eight drivers who will be competing for a Championship 4 spot in Sin City.
“I have been thrown out before,” he said. “So, you know, because that has happened, I’m always kind of… In the back of my mind, just hoping you know that nothing is wrong or that some crazy thing doesn’t happen.”
He added, “So, that’s certainly a possibility. I recognize that but it is hard not to celebrate those moments. You have to celebrate those moments. You can’t wait till inspection is done to celebrate.”
He admitted that what he explained was a delicate line. However, he believes that drivers have to be able to push the lines of sport. Cars meeting the requirements set forth by NASCAR is also a key part of the competition and something that has to be got right.
Elliott contended that his team will have to ensure that the goals are met on that front while he does his best on the race track.
Will HMS drivers focus more on their crews now?
As the driver of the #9 entry fielded by Rick Hendrick, Elliott’s job is to get the maximum out of the car on the track. That’s how he views it. Getting involved in the intricacies of car engineering and technicalities is the job of his crew chief. And he trusts Alan Gustafson enough to not stick his head in there.
He said, “I don’t get super in the weeds with it just because… For Alan and I… He’s always let me do my thing and I let him do his. I have a lot of respect for that approach and for him. I’m not going to question that at the end of the day. I think that just ends up being a distraction and just not productive.”
Let’s get things started in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/pOQRxzKCZj
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) October 19, 2024
His teammate Kyle Larson agrees. When he was asked the same set of questions during his pre-race interview, he mentioned that it wasn’t his job to make sure that the car was good enough to clear inspection.
He has trusted his crew so far and they have delivered perfectly. He hopes that will continue to be the case going forward. His words went, “For like the driver’s side, we don’t have anything to do with building the cars. So we’re kind of just hoping it’s all good.”
Larson will be starting the race in fifth place this Sunday. He heads into the Round of 8 as a favorite to win the 2024 Cup Series title.
