Chase Elliott started the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in seventh place in the playoff standings, but the race proved difficult for the entire Hendrick Motorsports team. Elliott, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet, finished 17th, which was still the best result among Rick Hendrick’s four entries that night.
Beginning the race in 21st position, Elliott gained two spots to end Stage 1 in 19th but then slipped back to 21st during Stage 2. Throughout the night, he fought hard to move back into the top 20. The driver himself acknowledged the challenge, explaining how every Chevrolet and Hendrick car lost pace as the laps progressed.
Challenges Faced During the Race
Reflecting on the difficulties, Elliott said,
“It was a really long night,”
describing their strategy to stay out long on one run in an attempt to gain positions.
The team’s plan was to avoid the aggressive short-pitting tactics many competitors used, but things quickly changed:
“Everyone was being real aggressive with short-pitting, so we tried to run long. And then yeah, as soon as we did that, about eight or 10 laps in, the caution came out.”
Adding to their frustration, Elliott revealed,
“It was honestly laughable at that juncture. Just came in and had an issue on pit road… had to put our heads down and grind out, just keep pushing at it. It’s been a long night for sure.”
Playoff Implications and What’s Next
The disappointing race results caused shifts in Hendrick Motorsports’ playoff positioning. Kyle Larson slipped to third place but maintained a 38-point lead over the cutoff, while William Byron, the regular-season champion, tied for fifth with a 25-point cushion.
Elliott now holds 11th place, barely nine points above the elimination line. Meanwhile, Alex Bowman faces a steep climb, needing a win or to make up 19 points in the next two races to stay in playoff contention.
Looking ahead to upcoming races, Elliott emphasized the urgency to improve:
“We’ve got to put our heads together and try to figure out how to be better next week at Gateway,”
he stated.
Performance Outlook and Upcoming Challenges
Despite the struggles at Darlington, Elliott can draw some reassurance from his performance statistics. His average finish of 6.8 in Next Gen cars at Bristol Raceway suggests greater confidence there compared to Gateway, where his career average finish is 17.0. This history indicates the Gateway race could present additional challenges for the driver as he works to regain his playoff momentum.
