“I’m motivated,” Chase Elliott sets his priorities straight as he chases the Championship he ‘deserves’
Chase Elliott is a definite championship contender in 2023 if he can remain 100% fit, and HMS can field race-win-worthy cars for him.
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Chase Elliott
NASCAR nation is celebrating the return of their most popular driver Chase Elliott, who has been sidelined for six races after suffering a tibia injury from a snowboarding accident. The Hendrick Motorsports No:9 Chevy driver marked his return with an impressive P10 at Martinsville. He proved to the garage that his HMS team had everything ready to make him the champion again, and he hadn’t lost any of his magic behind the wheel.
Elliott was given a median waiver by NASCAR as requested and is eligible for the chase. But he has a big task; having mixed six races, the 2020 champion has a slim possibility of reaching playoffs with just championship points. He has to take the hard but easy way. Win a race and secure the spot. The No:9 team has 17 races left before the chase to get him the win, and it will be one of the most challenging times of his cup career.
While talking about his playoff chances, he told the RACER that he is motivated to go for the win and win itself. He pointed out that he hates to put extra pressure on his team but has no choice. Elliott added that his team could score the win and deserves the playoff spot. He said that his crew understood that the driver’s point might no longer make a difference to him.
“I don’t think that’s my motivation. I’m motivated to (win) just because I think we’re a deserving team to be a part of the playoffs, and I think we’re a strong enough team to make a run and race for a championship. Yes, I hate that I put them in the position that I have, but at the same time, I don’t think that’s my main motivational factor in wanting to win,” Chase Elliott said.
“We all want to win as a group. It’s not because of my absence that we want to win any more than we already did before. But we certainly recognize, ‘Hey, points probably aren’t going to work from the driver’s side.’ Certainly, can point in on the owner’s side. But from the driver’s side, it’s going to be tough to do without a win,” Elliott added.
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Chase Elliott is ready to embrace the straightforward challenge
Last year’s regular-season champion understood that he wouldn’t be defending his title with consistent top-10 finishes, and even a playoff spot is in doubt. He pointed out that having the goal of just winning a race is a fun challenge, and it’d a different feeling compared to previous years. He is embracing the challenge along with his crew.
“So, I think it’s more just recognizing the job at hand, what we’re going to have to do to be a part of the show, and just having that goal set in front of you. I think it’s kind of fun, and it’s very simple, and it’s pretty straightforward in what we need to go do,” Elliott said.
“It’s a different feeling than what it’s been, but we’re really embracing it as a group, and I’ve embraced it on my end. I’m kind of excited about the challenge, really. It’s kind of unique and kind of fun – either win, and you’re in, or don’t, and you fail. I kind of like it,” Elliott added.
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Justin P Joy
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