At the Richmond race, Chase Elliott recorded his first DNF (Did Not Finish) of the season, triggering significant backlash from his fans. The incident sparked intense debate about the role of his crew chief in the race’s outcome, a topic highlighted by NASCAR Insider Jeff Gluck.
In the days following the race, Gluck revealed on the Teardown podcast that Elliott’s supporters had aggressively targeted him after he defended crew chief Alan Gustafson. Despite Gluck’s praise for Gustafson’s strategic decisions, fans held Gustafson responsible for Elliott’s unfortunate finish, leading to a flood of critical messages directed at Gluck.
“Chase Elliott fans were tweeting at me like I was Alan Gustafson or something like they wanted my scalp. These people are very, very angry. Because I defended Alan Gustafson,” Gluck said. [48:00]
Gluck emphasized Gustafson’s timely tire strategy at Richmond, noting that Elliott’s #9 team conserved a set of tires similar to Ryan Preece, who remained competitive late into the race.
“They had an extra set and then they used them and they were coming through the field with Hocevar and Jones. Hocevar made it through but Elliott and Jones got caught in that wreck. Elliott almost made it through but Kyle Busch tagged him and they were going to finish top 10 in that stage. But they were like, ‘Oh, this is Alan’s fault. He was back there with the strategy. I told you,'” he elaborated.
Despite Kyle Busch being the driver who caused the wreck involving Elliott, Gluck found it puzzling that Gustafson’s strategy was blamed for the incident rather than the other drivers on the track.
Chase Elliott Reviews Richmond Crash That Ended His Day Early
After his early exit on lap 199, Chase Elliott reflected on the crash that led to his first DNF of the season. Elliott explained that cars had stacked up in the wreck and suggested that Kyle Busch may not have realized Elliott was moving along the bottom of the track when contact occurred.
“Really awkward. We were kind of done wrecking so I hate that. Had the wreck missed, I thought, and was just trying to get by the last of it there at the end,” he said in an interview with Frontstretch.
Elliott’s recent outings have shown a dip in performance, as he has not finished within the top 20 in the past few races. Notably, before finishing 26th at Watkins Glen, Elliott had consistently remained in the top 20 since October 2024’s Las Vegas race, during which he scored a victory, six top-five finishes, and five top-10 results.
Implications for Elliott’s Season and Upcoming Races
The Richmond incident marks a challenging moment for Chase Elliott as he tries to regain momentum ahead of the NASCAR playoffs. With the regular season drawing to a close, much anticipation surrounds Elliott’s performance at the upcoming race in Daytona. Fans and analysts alike will watch closely to see if Elliott can bounce back and reestablish himself as a top contender.
The heated response from fans also underscores the high expectations placed on Elliott and his team, as well as the passionate loyalty that fuels strong reactions to setbacks this season.
