Chase Elliott experienced a difficult night at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, crashing and finishing 38th in the race. Despite this poor performance, Elliott managed to avoid elimination from the NASCAR Cup playoffs and secured his place in the Round of 12. Although there were tense moments and doubts about his advancement throughout the race, the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet successfully moved forward in the playoff standings.
Even with Elliott’s disappointing finish in the Round of 16, USA Network analyst Steve Letarte remains optimistic about his prospects as he heads into the next round this Sunday at New Hampshire. Currently, Elliott holds seventh place in the Cup standings, demonstrating some cushion despite recent setbacks.
We talk all season about how you perform in the regular season, how many points you score, and that’s what happened to Chase Elliott,
Letarte said on the NASCAR Inside The Race post-race show.
He advanced tonight not because of Bristol, but because of regular-season effort, the playoff points he brought into the playoffs, and the runs he had in the first two races (17th at Darlington and third at Gateway). I mean, that’s the system.
He was the driver that I was concerned about, whether they were going to be good enough, because he’s just been consistent, but not crazy fast. You know, he’s the type of driver that’s going to have to be just faster in the next three races to continue,
added Letarte.
Elliott’s Past Success Offers Hope for This Year
Chase Elliott’s current situation bears some resemblance to his 2020 championship run. That year, he was fifth in the standings after leaving Bristol, trailing points leader Kevin Harvick by 46 points. Yet, Elliott mounted a strong comeback by winning three of the final five playoff races, including the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, where he secured the championship.
Following Saturday’s disappointing Bristol result, Elliott remains in a workable position for the Round of 12. He sits seventh in the standings, 21 points behind leader Denny Hamlin, but only seven points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8, which looms three races away.
While Elliott is within reach of Hamlin’s lead, his margin for error is shrinking, prompting greater pressure in the upcoming races. The layout of the next three tracks offers mixed potential, with two of the venues aligning well with Elliott’s driving strengths.
Track Analysis and Elliott’s Performance Opportunities in Round of 12
Each of the three tracks in the Round of 12 offers a different level of challenge for Elliott:
- Loudon: Historically the least favorable track for Elliott, where he has not yet secured a win. He has recorded two top-five finishes and three top-10 finishes in 11 starts, indicating moderate success but not dominance.
- Kansas: Offers better promise, with Elliott earning one win, seven top-five finishes, and 12 top-10 results in 19 starts. It represents a middle ground in his playoff schedule.
- Charlotte Roval: The strongest track for Elliott in this round, where he has two wins, three top-five finishes, and five top-10 finishes in seven starts, suggesting high potential for a strong performance in the Round of 12 finale.
Competitiveness Within Hendrick Motorsports and Against Toyota
Steve Letarte pointed out an intriguing development within Hendrick Motorsports’ lineup, noting how Elliott’s teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron, once seen as faster drivers, currently appear to lag behind the Toyota-led field this playoffs.
I don’t know if this is a benefit, but I feel like the other Hendrick cars have backed up to (Elliott),
Letarte explained.
I always had the 5 [Kyle Larson] and the 24 [William Byron] much faster than [Elliott], but now I think they’re all behind the Toyotas at the moment.
Toyota drivers have dominated the first three playoff races, with victories from Chase Briscoe at Darlington, Denny Hamlin at Gateway, and Christopher Bell at Bristol. This Toyota streak presents an added challenge for Elliott and his Hendrick teammates, who must close the performance gap to remain competitive.
So I guess glass half full, the [No.] 9 [has] run the same speed as his teammates. The glass half empty is his teammates aren’t as fast as they need to be. So I don’t know if he caught them or they backed up to him, but either way, they’re all together.
That organization is going to work night and day to try to find what they need. So if it is a similar need for all of the three (Team Hendrick) playoff cars left now that Alex Bowman’s been eliminated, maybe that’s the answer for [Elliott],
Letarte concluded.
Outlook for Elliott as Playoffs Progress
Chase Elliott’s path through the Round of 12 is encumbered by recent struggles but buoyed by his earlier regular-season performance and competitive record on certain tracks. The pressure is mounting as the cutoff for the next round is just seven points away, increasing the urgency for top finishes in upcoming races.
Steve Letarte’s measured perspective highlights both Elliott’s strengths and areas of concern within Hendrick Motorsports, underscoring the organization’s urgent need to keep pace with the dominant Toyota teams. The critical next three races, especially at Kansas and the Charlotte Roval, will largely determine Elliott’s playoff fate and his chance to emulate his championship-winning momentum from 2020.
