Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott’s NASCAR milestones are on life support going into Daytona

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott are 20th and 21st in the Cup standings, respectively.

Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott’s NASCAR milestones are on life support going into Daytona

Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman (Credits: On3(dot)com)

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway is the last round of the 2023 NASCAR regular Cup Series season. The ones who need not fret are the drivers who have made it into the playoffs. However, the same cannot be said for the rest. A lot is at stake for some drivers like Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott. Their Cup career milestones are on life support going into the season finale. 

Chase Elliott, former NASCAR Cup Series champion, joined the premier stock car racing series in 2016 as a full-time driver. Since then, Elliott has made it into the playoffs every single season. However, this season, his record might break. The 27-year-old Georgia native has not secured a playoff spot yet. Unless he wins the Coke Zero Sugar 400, there is no chance of him entering the 16-driver playoff field. 

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Chase Elliott missed seven races this season, six of which were due to his leg injury from a snowboarding accident. The other one came after NASCAR ruled that he intentionally wrecked Denny Hamlin. All this contributes to Elliott not continuing his ninth consecutive playoff run. However, he isn’t the only member from Hendrick Motorsports whose career milestone is at risk. 

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The No.48 Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman joined the team in 2016. Since 2018, he has not missed the playoffs. However, this season he is 20th in the point standings and will most likely miss the playoffs. Elliott and Bowman don’t have a win or the points to secure a playoff spot. Their only chance is a shot to win at Daytona. 

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Alan Gustafson’s milestone is at risk as Chase Elliott has not secured a playoff spot

Alan Gustafson (Credits: Sarah Crabill|Getty Images)
Alan Gustafson (Credits: Sarah Crabill|Getty Images)

Chase Elliott’s crew chief Alan Gustafson had a successful record with his drivers. Since 2010, his drivers have not finished lower than 10th in the point standings. The Hendrick Motorsports crew chief for the No.9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 worked with NASCAR icons like Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch previously. However, this season it looks like his career milestone might be broken as Elliott is 21st in the Cup standings. There is hardly any chance for him to make it into the playoff field unless he wins at Daytona.

The upcoming 2023 NASCAR regular-season finale is much anticipated, as drivers will push themselves beyond the limit to secure a playoff spot. It all comes down to this moment. However, who gets the final playoff spot remains to be seen. There is no doubt that NASCAR enthusiasts will be at the edge of their seats to witness the one who enters the playoff. The question is could Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman save their consecutive playoffs record?

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