2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott is navigating a challenging 2024 playoff season. During a recent episode of the *Dale Jr. Download* podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. discussed the tough situation Elliott, a prominent Hendrick Motorsports driver, faces.
Elliott, one of NASCAR’s fan favorites, had a rocky start this season. His performance improved after the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway, and he ultimately secured a playoff position with a victory at the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. This season, Elliott has achieved 17 top-10 finishes and 10 top-five finishes.
Now, in the intense Round of 8, Elliott is in a difficult position as two of his Hendrick teammates, Kyle Larson and William Byron, currently hold spots above the cut-line for the Championship 4. To reach the final round, Elliott must outperform one of them, making his path to the finale especially tricky. Earnhardt Jr. commented on this dilemma, emphasizing Elliott’s challenging task.
“Imagine the tough spot Chase Elliott’s in right now,” Earnhardt Jr. stated. “They don’t really have the speed, and they’re trying to claim a spot that currently, his two teammates have two of those four spots. Joey’s got one spot, so for Chase to get in, he may have to take it from a teammate.” He continued, “I don’t think people fully understand how uncomfortable that position is. William’s and Larson’s teams, they have to protect themselves. It gets tricky when teammates compete for the same goal.”
Earnhardt Jr.’s perspective was shared on X by Dirty Mo Media with the caption: “If Chase Elliott wins, as it stands now, he has to knock a teammate out – NOT an easy spot to be in.”
With Elliott sitting just above the elimination cut-line, he now faces a critical two-race stretch at Miami and Martinsville. In a recent interview with veteran journalist Claire B. Lang, Elliott spoke about his team’s situation. “We’re in a must-win position for the next two weeks. If we can win a race, my goal is to be faster than everyone else, call a solid race, and execute well. That’s the approach I’d prefer,” he explained.
Lang shared the interview on X, noting: “So, @chaseelliott must win @HomesteadMiami or @MartinsvilleSwy to make playoffs. It’s all the talk. But what does Chase think he has to do different in a ‘must-win’ playoff situation? I sought an answer to that from Chase yesterday and he delivered.”
Currently, Elliott is 53 points behind the cut-off for the Championship 4, with NASCAR estimating his chances of advancing at just 10.17%.
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