Hendrick Motorsports is fielding a dream team in this Cup Series. Starting from the Dayton 500 winner for the season, William Byron, to Kyle Larson, exhibiting his skills every race, they are a force to be reckoned with. But one seven-time popular driver for the team is waiting to break his winless streak. And with the Texas race coming up, he has something to say: “The good news was (Texas) went well. The bad news is it was 12 months ago.” Yes! We are talking about Chase Elliott. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion had collected his last win in this year’s Clash at the Madhouse. Ever since, he hasn’t managed to get a podium finish. But is winning the only parameter that makes a ‘good driver’?
Turns out, absolutely no! Even if Elliott’s last win was a season ago, the race is on its way now. Up until now, he has six top-10 finishes and three top-5s, earning him the 4th place in the points table. Needless to say, he is climbing his way to victory, and has something more important than winning, consistency. Even without a much-awaited victory, the No.9 team gets on the track, showcases what they have got. Something in it screams ‘patience’ out loud! But where does this patience root from?
Practicality gets results for the No. 9 team
The No. 9 team is always so close to victory when one factor or another slowly takes it away from them. And, it has happened in most races. But, if we take a comparative analysis of this season with 2024, Chase Elliott could rejoice as he secured victory in the very first race of the season. We know there were no points, but, hey! A win is a win, and nobody takes that crown away from him. Last year, when Elliott walked down to his car at Texas Motor Speedway, he had a 37-race winless streak in points events that is the second-longest of his career. This year, it would be much better. Why? Well, I think his crew chief has some answers.
Alan Gustafson, the #9 team Crew Chief, has a very clear perspective when it comes to development and improvement. Speaking of their performance, he said, “We’ve had some really good performances and then had some pace in the car. And we’ve got contracts that were just kind of okay. So, I think I’m happy with the consistency, happy with two points we scored, certainly.” The two points came from finishing 5th at Talladega. While everything sounds fair, is the crew chief, you know, not unhappy with his driver for not winning?
Well, who doesn’t want to win? But, practicality goes a long way. “You do want to win some races, and I think there were… we had a couple of cars that I think we could have won with and didn’t close the deals on those ones that really stand out, and you want to focus on improving. So yeah, you know it’s a long marathon this season. This season’s a marathon, and I think it certainly started out pretty good and we’re just looking to improve as always,” Gustafson said. This shows that with every other race, Chase Elliott is becoming a better driver. If crew chiefs are the ‘brains of drivers’, Elliott really has a fast and calm one. With all of this being said, how buckled up is the #9 team for Texas?
“Certainly want to win some races.”@TeamHendrick Crew Chief Alan Gustafson is pleased with the start to the season for @ChaseElliott and the No. 9 team, but wants to get to victory lane.
Full Interview → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/O76dJZehtD
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) May 1, 2025
Well, in the words of Chase Elliott himself, things look on the sunnier side of the field. Even though he feels the mixture of frustration and happiness coming to Texas as the returning champion, he knows that the Cup series is far from over. With a broader vision, Elliott said, “No different than anyone else on our team. We want more. I think we’re capable of more. And we just have high expectations. We are proud of those good runs that we’ve had, but we know that there’s more in the tank. The season’s still very early, and I’ve seen enough high spots to kind of give me hope.” With the team looking to win upcoming races, there is something special waiting to happen at the Würth 400. And it is a tribute to a long-time sponsor of NASCAR.
Chase Elliott’s gold car to honor the Golden Jubilee
Folks, whenever we talk about automobile parts used in stock cars, NAPA is the household name. And guess what? The bond between NASCAR and NAPA started back in 1925. The largest supporter of NASCAR is going to celebrate its 100th anniversary at Texas Motor Speedway with their beneficiary paying them a tribute. How, you may ask? In a Champagne gold colored car is the answer.
Chase Elliott’s #9 NAPA in Champagne Gold
Elliott’s breakthrough in NASCAR came up came up as a result of trust. And the driver has had several memorable moments with sponsor NAPA. Speaking of the impact the sponsor had on his life, Elliott said, “Everyone knows they’ve been a huge piece of my career and a vital piece of the puzzle to my career, even becoming a career. I really can’t say enough about them and what they’ve done for me and my family and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports as well.” The primary sponsor is always important to the driver. But, in rare cases, some sponsors have changed the way a sport runs.
With this new paint scheme on the roll, let’s see what the defending champion will do in Texas. Do you think he will continue to hold the glory of a ‘cowboy’ with the boots, hat, and the six-shooters? Let us know in the comments below.
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