With only six races left in the regular season, there is still a mathematical chance for Elliott to qualify for the playoff field of 16 drivers based on points. However, the likelihood of this happening is diminishing significantly.
Elliott currently holds the 23rd position in the series standings for this weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway. He is trailing by 60 points behind the 16th and last position.
Elliott’s recent streak of three back-to-back top-five finishes made him consider the possibility of entering the playoff field without a victory. However, his 13th place finish at Atlanta and 12th place finish last weekend at New Hampshire swiftly diminished that notion.
“I have been thinking ever since all of this occurred that we would need to secure a victory,” expressed Elliott, aged 27, during the Pocono event on Friday. “Initially, that was the consensus among everyone until we accumulated enough points during a couple of successful weeks, and then the sentiment shifted to ‘Yes, he can qualify based on points alone.'”
“The narratives have the potential to shift rapidly.”
Elliott and his team from Hendrick Motorsports, represented by car number 9, were optimistic about the New Hampshire race despite it not being their strongest track. The team had taken part in a tire test conducted by Goodyear at the same track and found the outcomes to be encouraging.
“Loudon was a disappointment. Throughout the entire weekend, we faced challenges that left me feeling let down. I believe the entire team shared this sentiment,” he expressed. “A few months ago, we had a successful trial run there. However, it has not been a favorable track for us, so I was extremely enthusiastic about gaining more experience and striving for improvement in an area where we have struggled.”
“I believed that we had accomplished that. I believed that we achieved significant progress. However, upon revisiting it, we performed terribly and were unable to comprehend the reasons behind it.”
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
However, the outcome is that Elliott finds himself exactly where he anticipated – most likely requiring a win at Victory Lane in order to secure his eighth consecutive spot in the playoffs. Throughout his entire career as a fulltime driver in the series, he has managed to qualify for the playoffs every season.
It’s certainly not a bad place to be as Elliott earned his first Cup victory at the track one year ago, but the circumstances were unusual.
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch claimed the top two positions in the race, but were both disqualified due to their cars not passing inspection after the race. As a result, Elliott, who finished in third place without leading a lap, was awarded the victory.
However, Elliott believes that there is no justification for why a victory, and consequently a spot in the playoffs, could not be achieved at Pocono.
“I view this weekend as a chance for improvement. While this race track hasn’t been particularly successful for me in the past, I see it as an opportunity to grow and enhance my performance,” he clarified. “My focus is on striving for progress and trying to better myself.”
“I aspire to improve and consistently compete for victories every week, positioning myself among those individuals who are expected to have triumphed when you enter this place after a race.”
“I aspire to be part of that particular group and allow everything else to fall into place.”
Elliott maintains that he and his team possess all the necessary resources to ensure a successful season.
“He stated that all we need to do is assemble the components at the appropriate moment and unlock our capabilities, and then everything will turn out well.”
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