Chase Elliott is concerned with one thing and one thing only: being the best possible driver for his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team.
A multitude of unique circumstances has increased the chatter surrounding Elliott’s bid for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The 2020 Cup champion and five-time defending recipient of the Most Popular Driver Award sits outside the 16-driver postseason grid with two regular-season races remaining, tied for 19th in the standings with teammate Alex Bowman, both 80 points away from a playoff position.
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Elliott’s thoughts are clear though, no matter how murky 2023 has been for him after missing seven races – six due to a March snowboarding injury and another due to suspension.
“I think it just reaffirms how little outside noise matters,” Elliott told NASCAR.com in a Tuesday phone interview. “And it really makes you put even more emphasis on the things that do make a difference and just makes you pay less attention to the things that don’t. And when you really boil things down, there is just so much chatter and so much noise that goes on week to week. And as I have gotten older and as I have spent more time doing this stuff, I just care less and less about the noise and more about the things that make a difference.
“And ultimately, that’s performance on track each week and making sure I’m showing up for my team prepared and making sure that we’re treating the fans the way they need to be treated at the race track, and the folks that are there to support you. So you know, I just try to show up each week as prepared as I can be as a race-car driver for my guys and let them know that I’m trying to carry my weight as best as I can.”
Elliott has never been a stranger to being the center of attention. Taking over Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 car at Hendrick Motorsports as a 20-year-old rookie will do that … especially when you’re the son of 16-time Most Popular Driver and 1988 Cup champion Bill Elliott. Navigating the chaos of that white noise in the midst of a playoff pursuit is just another wrinkle added to the weekly grind of being a top-tier Cup driver.
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That’s where crew chief Alan Gustafson plays a critical role. Gustafson, who has found himself atop a Hendrick Motorsports pit box since 2005, carries a perennially even-keeled demeanor that allows him to lead with a clear head regardless of circumstances.
“One thing that makes Alan so good is the guy just stays middle of the road no matter what,” Elliott said. “Even when things are going the best they can possibly be going or things are the absolute worst they could possibly be. He just rides and maintains this middle-of-the-road attitude that I think you have to have to endure a long period of time in the sport. …
“Certainly this year, he’s been through some more challenges and just always keeps his head down and shows up to work every day, trying to be his very best. And that’s what he’s always done.”
That mentality has led Gustafson to success with every driver for whom he’s served as crew chief – a resume that stars current or future NASCAR Hall of Famers Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Elliott. Gustafson’s innate ability to maximize each driver’s unique strengths is reflected in his 38 Cup wins – 18 of which with Elliott since 2018.
“I feel like he’s always just tried to make me a priority and (provide) what I need and letting me be me,” Elliott said. “And I think that’s one thing that has extracted performance is he’s always just let me be myself, and he goes to work into making things the best he can be around that. And he’s never asked me to change. You know, we always work together and we have a very open and honest relationship and nobody gets their feelings hurt. And all those things are very important. So it’s been a pleasure to work with him and I hope he’s not going away any time soon. I hope I’m not either.”
The focus now shifts to Watkins Glen International, one of Elliott’s best tracks on the Cup Series circuit and the site of his first career win in 2018, claiming another at the 2.45-mile road course in 2019. A third victory at The Glen on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) is nearly a necessity in order to qualify for the playoffs, with only this week and next at Daytona left in the regular season.
MORE: Where Racing Insights predicts Elliott to finish Sunday
The No. 9 Chevrolet led a race-high 29 laps in the 2022 event in Upstate New York and came home fourth after teammate Kyle Larson ran Elliott wide on a late restart on the way to the win. Can the team replicate such a performance with so much on the line for a driver who’s never missed the postseason in seven previous seasons?
“I don’t see why not,” Elliott said. “Is that guaranteed? No, it’s not, unfortunately; I would love to have that kind of pace guaranteed again. But you know, that’s just not how it works. But we can certainly take the things that we have had success with and the things that we feel like we’ve gained at a road course and try to apply it this weekend and hopefully execute a good race.”
The circumstances for Elliott are in some ways new – and in some ways familiar. He compared his current ordeal to must-win scenarios he and his crew have faced throughout previous playoff runs in order to lock into the Championship 4, the final and title round of the NASCAR Playoffs. Elliott has made the final round in each of the past three seasons.
“You’re having your back up against the wall throughout rounds of the playoffs, so, you know, it’s really no different than where we are now,” Elliott said. “But I think the most important piece of being in these situations is having a good process week to week that is something that you can consistently do and continue to show up with, and know that when we go to work on Monday, the things that we’re talking about Monday (are) relevant and important, and it’s making a difference for our next conversation on Wednesday or Thursday.
“And then when we finalize things on Wednesday or Thursday, we’re as prepared as we can be when we get to the track on Saturday. And that process is the same for us every week. And I just think trusting in that process and knowing that it’s a good one and staying consistent in it is the best thing you can do because like I said, there is no magic ‘win’ button.”