For Chase Elliott, Talladega has historically been a standout track, where he has celebrated victory twice, equal to his wins at the Charlotte Roval, Dover, and Watkins Glen. However, the 2024 fall race presented a stark contrast to those successes. During this event, Elliott was caught in a catastrophic pileup that claimed the dubious title of the largest wreck in Talladega’s history, involving 28 cars. The aftermath was chaotic, as drivers, crew members, and track workers struggled to manage the extensive damage.
This confusion was palpable over the radio of the No. 9 team, as spotter Trey Poole spoke candidly, asking,
Is everybody just sitting back there in their car waiting to get moved?
Elliott’s response highlighted the disarray: “Yeah, everybody’s just spinning their wheels, turning in circles, can’t go anywhere. Stuck in the grass. Stuck on the asphalt.”
In the wake of this incident, Elliott was approached by Fox’s Bob Pockrass, who probed him about how he plans to handle a similar situation in the coming year. Elliott, maintaining a smile despite the somber memory, remarked, “Great question. I wish someone could have been sitting in my seat in the fall. We looked like a bunch of clowns. It was epic. There were 10 of us sitting down there in the grass, all arguing, pleading our case, yelling and screaming. Just silly.”
As the anticipation builds for NASCAR’s return from its lone off week of the 2025 season, Elliott aims not only to avoid another crash but also to secure his third career win at Talladega. With race coverage set to begin at 3 p.m. ET on Fox, all eyes will be on the track as fans hope for a smoother experience for their favorite driver this time around.
