Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro, has faced his fair share of challenges throughout his career. One of the most notable setbacks occurred at the 2013 Snowball Derby, a prestigious short-track race in the United States. Despite crossing the finish line first, Elliott’s victory was short-lived as he was disqualified due to a technicality. The incident, which stripped him of his win, remains a controversial moment in his racing career.
The issue stemmed from a violation discovered during the post-race inspection. Elliott’s car contained a piece of tungsten, an expensive material prohibited by the Derby’s rules, which require cars to use lead for added weight due to its affordability. Kenny Wallace, a well-known NASCAR personality, recently discussed the disqualification on his YouTube channel. He explained, “The rule is you have to run lead because it’s cheap. When Chase won, they found tungsten in his car instead.”
Tungsten, while smaller and more efficient than lead, offers no competitive advantage but is significantly costlier. Elliott later addressed the controversy, saying, “I don’t know who put it there. It was a mistake and was overlooked before the race.” Despite the oversight, the incident sparked frustration among fans, especially given that Erik Jones was awarded the Tom Dawson Trophy for his second consecutive win.
Elliott redeemed himself two years later at the same event, winning the 2015 Snowball Derby after Christopher Bell was disqualified for a post-race infraction. Reflecting on his victory, Elliott posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I feel for @CBellRacing21, I’ve been there. Would much rather be the first one across the line, but I’m happy to take it home this time!” This triumph demonstrated Elliott’s resilience and cemented his status as a determined competitor in motorsports.
Fast forward to today, Elliott continues to make waves in NASCAR, earning multiple sponsorships, including a partnership with UniFirst Corporation, a $3.7 billion leader in the textile industry. UniFirst became Elliott’s primary sponsor in 2020, and Hendrick Motorsports recently unveiled a new livery for the No. 9 car set to debut in 2025. Departing from its traditional white and green design, the new look features bold shades of green, gray, and yellow.
UniFirst’s Executive Vice President expressed enthusiasm for the redesign, saying, “This bold design aligns perfectly with our brand evolution and captures our energy and momentum. Collaborating with Hendrick Motorsports has been an exciting opportunity to create something that resonates with NASCAR fans.” Fans can catch the new livery at several iconic tracks, including Homestead-Miami Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
Through ups and downs, Elliott’s journey reflects his enduring spirit and commitment to the sport.
