Unlike last season, when victories eluded him, Chase Elliott clinched a win early in 2024 and secured his playoff berth. However, his success in Texas remains his sole victory lane visit of the year despite a strong and consistent run over which he has racked up five top-5s and six top-10s.
Advertisement
His performances in the playoffs have been along similar lines as well. He finished in the top five in Bristol and secured top-10 finishes in Atlanta and Kansas. The lack of victories could be a frustrating point of pain for drivers like Elliott. Particularly, when they are this close to the Championship 4 race in Phoenix.
But he appears to be dealing with the pressure pretty well. He was questioned about the winless streak before his race in Talladega, and he responded by turning the spotlight on how the Next Gen car has influenced the number of winners in a season. He said, “I don’t necessarily find it frustrating.”
“It does seem like we have a more consistent widespread number of winners yearly since we’ve had this car. So, that’s been interesting to watch.” He continued to explain that the reason behind this transition is the new aero-platform, the defensive abilities of the leading car, the way restarts shake out, and the timing of pit stops. He concluded, “All those things are really just recipes for more winners.”
Why the race in Charlotte this weekend will be crucial for Elliott
Elliott was mired in the major wreck at Talladega that came with five laps to go in the race schedule. He limped to a P29 finish after his No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro took a heavy beating. Despite the setback, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was still able to scrape together 17 points from the race thanks to a second-place finish in stage two.
Currently teetering on the playoff bubble, he holds a slender 13-point lead above the Round of 8 elimination line. His next challenge will be in the Charlotte Roval, a venue where he boasts an impressive track record. He has an average finish of 8.2 over six starts on the track. This includes two victories (2019 and 2020) and two top-5 finishes.
He started the 2023 Bank of America Roval 400 from eighth place in 2023 and finished it in ninth. Being the road course master that he is, this upcoming fixture is a golden opportunity for him to secure his second win and advance to the next round. He will need a really strong performance to overcome the points deficit in Talladega, at the very least.
