Chase Elliott is one of NASCAR’s most recognized drivers today, and his #9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is closely associated with him. The #9 car holds a deep legacy in stock car racing, but for Elliott, it carries a personal significance. Elliott took on the number at Hendrick Motorsports as a tribute to his father, Bill Elliott, a former NASCAR driver.
Chase, a Cup Series champion, first raced with Hendrick Motorsports in 2015. His debut race was the 2015 STP 500 at Martinsville, where he drove the #25 Chevrolet with crew chief Kenny Francis. In 2016, he began his first full season, taking over Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet after Gordon’s retirement. Elliott continued with the #24 during his second season as well.
Before the 2018 season, Hendrick Motorsports revealed that Chase would drive the #9 car, while William Byron would take over the #24. Elliott still drives the #9 today. But why the change after two years?
The switch was to honor his father, Bill Elliott. A former Cup Series champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner, Bill was famous for racing the #9 car in the NASCAR Cup Series, first doing so in 1976. As Bill Elliott continued winning races, the #9 car grew in popularity, remaining with him until 2004, with brief breaks.
After Bill Elliott, the #9 was driven by Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose, and Sam Hornish Jr. for Richard Petty Motorsports until Hendrick Motorsports reclaimed it. In 2018, Chase Elliott inherited the #9 and has driven it ever since.
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Why did Chase Elliott switch from 24 to 9? Exploring the reasoning behind HMS’ move
