Chase Elliott secured his first Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen in 2018, snapping Hendrick Motorsports’ 37-race winless streak and marking the team’s 250th series triumph. This milestone came after a year of significant changes within the organization, symbolizing a hopeful turning point under Rick Hendrick’s leadership.
Heading into Watkins Glen, Hendrick Motorsports had yet to claim a win after 21 races in the season. The team underwent a major offseason transformation, including retiring the iconic No. 5 Chevrolet—the first Hendrick Cup car from 1984. Elliott’s No. 24 car was renumbered to No. 9, paying homage to his father, Bill Elliott, whose Hall of Fame career included 38 Cup wins and the 1988 championship with that number.
The New Lineup and Unified Operations
Alongside Elliott’s No. 9, William Byron—fresh from an Xfinity championship—took over the renumbered No. 24 following Kasey Kahne’s departure. Veteran Jimmie Johnson remained in the No. 48, while Alex Bowman replaced Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88. This reshuffling extended beyond drivers to the team’s structure as well.
Hendrick Motorsports consolidated four separate race shops into a single facility, streamlining operations and focusing efforts on the new-generation Camaro. Despite these efforts, the team remained winless through August, a rare and challenging position for the organization known for consistent success. Rick Hendrick reflected on this phase of rebuilding, saying,
“This is the right time to be closing the gap and building that momentum. I’m so proud of all the folks at Hendrick Motorsports for keeping their head down and working hard.”
This dedication across personnel underscored the importance of every small improvement. The combination of fresh talent and renewed infrastructure set the stage for the breakthrough at The Glen.
Validation Through Victory and Renewed Optimism
The Watkins Glen win confirmed the effectiveness of months of engineering adjustments, simulator sessions, and collaborative effort. Hendrick acknowledged that although the victory did not erase ongoing challenges, it offered a tangible sign of progress.
“We had a lot of change, new drivers, young drivers, but I feel really good about the future. I feel good going into the playoffs. It’s going to be super competitive, but I think we know we still have a lot of work to do. This is going to motivate our people to just step it up again. It’s a great shot in the arm for the whole organization.”
Following Watkins Glen, Elliott won again at Dover and Kansas during the playoff stretch, transforming a frustrating first half into a promising curtain-closer that hinted at Hendrick Motorsports’ resurgence. Though the team fell short of a championship in 2018, morale and momentum shifted dramatically with this new young core.
Rick Hendrick on Elliott’s Long-Awaited First Win
For Chase Elliott, the victory at Watkins Glen was a mix of relief and triumph. By then, he was in his third full-time season and had recorded eight runner-up finishes without a race win, making this 99th Cup start especially significant. The connection to his father’s legacy with the No. 9 added emotional weight to the moment.
Rick Hendrick expressed a mixture of pride and frustration over Elliott’s wait for this first victory, stating,
“Chase is such a great young man and such a super, unbelievable driver and he should have had this win his first season. He should have about, I don’t know, seven or eight wins.
“I hated he had to wait this long, but boy what a show he put on pressing two of the best in the business and being up there all day and not making mistakes. He has got an awesome amount of talent.”
In the Watkins Glen race itself, Elliott began in the second row and initially fell behind but rallied to lead 52 laps, dominating from Stage 2 onward. In the final laps, he held off fierce competitors Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch to claim the checkered flag.
Building Momentum for the Future
The momentum from this breakthrough carried Elliot through the playoffs, where his wins at Dover and Kansas established him as Hendrick Motorsports’ highest-ranked driver, finishing sixth in the standings. These victories represented more than individual success—they laid the foundation for the team’s ongoing rebuild.
The 2018 season’s late surge shifted Hendrick Motorsports’ trajectory, providing renewed hope for future championship contention. With a young roster and unified operations, the organization appeared poised to regain its dominant position in the NASCAR Cup Series.
