Chase Elliott recently discussed his shift from the #24 Chevy to the #9 Chevy on the BobbyCast podcast with Bobby Bones, highlighting how Dale Earnhardt Jr. played a pivotal role in the transition. Elliott shared how Earnhardt Jr.’s timely encouragement motivated him to pursue the number change during his time at Hendrick Motorsports in 2018.
Elliott, 29, began his NASCAR Cup Series career part-time in 2015 with Hendrick Motorsports before securing a full-time position in 2016. Over the years, he has evolved into one of the sport’s standout drivers, capturing the Cup Series championship in 2020. His path to the #9 car involved driving the #25 in his debut season, then the iconic #24—once driven by Jeff Gordon—from 2016 to 2017.
The No. 9 car holds special significance for Elliott, as his father, Bill Elliott, launched his Cup Series career piloting the #9 Ford for Elliott Racing and continued to use it throughout his career with various teams. This family connection made the number especially meaningful to Chase Elliott when the opportunity to switch arose.
Elliott credited Earnhardt Jr. for prompting him to act on his interest in the change. He recalled on the BobbyCast:
“When we had some switch-up at Hendrick, I think in 2018 was the year, there was actually—Dale Jr. really deserves credit for the number switch from my perspective, because he’s like, ‘Hey, if you’re going to make this change,’ and kind of knew I wanted to do it, even though I never really said. He was like, “Hey, you need to speak up about this right now because you probably aren’t going to have another opportunity to do it.” He knew there was some change coming.” —Chase Elliott
Following that advice, Elliott reached out to his team’s leadership to explore the possibility. He explained:
“Yeah, so I kinda, thanks to his nudging, I reached out to the boss and was like, ‘Hey, what do you think about doing this, or can we do this? Is this even possible?” Somebody had a conversation with Richard Petty, and he said, “Hey, you can have it. We’re not using it. Totally yours. You have family ties to this number, and it’d be really cool for you guys to take it if that’s what you want to do.” So, the ‘King’ let us have it, and we ran with it, which is pretty neat the way it all worked out,” —Chase Elliott
This exchange not only connected Elliott to NASCAR royalty but also revived a family legacy, solidifying the #9 as his number going forward.
Chase Elliott Reflects on Challenges and Progress This Season
Earlier in 2025, Chase Elliott opened up about the struggles and mindset behind his pursuit of victories during an interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. Despite a promising start to the Cup Series season, including winning the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Elliott faced a significant winless stretch in points-paying races until his breakthrough at the Atlanta Motor Speedway‘s second race.
While discussing his approach to overcoming this period, Elliott expressed the importance of personal responsibility and team cohesion:
“Man, we’ve just been doing this long enough to know, like, it all kind of starts and ends with us. We have to make sure we’re doing our part, and I’m doing my part and just bringing everything I can possibly bring every single week. It’s the honest conversations that we have on Monday mornings that are either going to make us better or make us fail. All of the pieces of the puzzle are there. We’re working on the right things. I think I’m asking for the right things out of the car. I’m really proud of our team for just sticking together.” —Chase Elliott
These reflections highlight Elliott’s focus amid the pressures of competing at the highest level, emphasizing perseverance and team effort as key to emerging stronger.
Upcoming Races and Current Standings
After finishing 10th at the recent race at Daytona International Speedway, Chase Elliott is preparing to compete in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, August 31, 2025. The 367-lap race is scheduled to air live at 6:00 pm ET on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Currently, Elliott sits seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings with 2,013 points. Through 26 starts this season, he has earned one official win, 13 top-ten finishes, and seven top-five results. Elliott has led 385 laps so far and maintains an average finish position of 11.962, underscoring a solid if challenging season.
With the transition to the #9 car symbolizing a meaningful chapter in his career and support from icons like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Elliott’s continued determination suggests he remains a formidable contender in the NASCAR Cup Series.
