Over the course of his career in the NASCAR Cup Series, Chase Elliott has won several accolades. Multiple race wins, one championship, and several Most Popular Driver wins have characterized his run in the competition so far. However, the Hendrick Motorsports star is yet to win The Great American Race.
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The Daytona 500 is arguably the biggest race NASCAR has to offer and several drivers go their whole careers without winning it. That includes Cup Series champions. Elliott has competed in the race nine times so far in his career and has failed to win one. His record in the race is not that impressive either as he has only finished in the top five once. He did however come painfully close to winning on a couple of occasions. But luck just was not with the driver of the #9 car.
Chase Elliott barely gets through the big crash during the 2024 Daytona 500.
No radio because my computer killed the recording 2 hours into the race. pic.twitter.com/IQb9GKERW7
— Andrew (@Basso488) February 20, 2024
He was leading the 2017 Daytona 500 towards the end but his car ran out of gas with just three laps remaining. In the end, he could only drive it to a P14 finish. The next time he came close was during the 2021 season. Elliott was battling Michael McDowell and could have beaten the veteran to the checkered flag. However, a late wreck in the event forced NASCAR to bring out the caution after the white flag and the HMS star had to settle for a second place finish.
The 2020 Cup Series champion started the 2024 Daytona 500 from P5 and finished P14. It was not the ideal start to the new season. However, his teammate William Byron wrote his name into the history books as he won The Great American Race and got his season off to a flying start.
Why winning the 500 would be special for Elliott
Elliott mentioned earlier that winning the 500 would mean the world to him. In a media interaction earlier this year, the HMS star said that not winning that race does not break anyone’s career.
However, knowing that he has that feather in his cap when he finally hangs up his boots would be a special feeling. After all, there is no event in NASCAR quite like it.
“It would be a huge deal,” he said to NASCAR. “For me, it’s a race that when I get done with this deal one day, it would be nice to have your name on the trophy and just to have said you won a Daytona 500, I think that would be a cool thing.” While it did not happen this year, the HMS star still has a long road ahead of him to crack the iconic race.
