Who is the crew Chief for Chase Elliott?

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Alan Arthur Gustafson is a well-known NASCAR Cup Series crew chief born in Ormond Beach, Florida on August 5, 1975. As of October 2024, he is the crew chief for Chase Elliott of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 under Hendrick Motorsports.

While he has been involved with some of the biggest names in racing through nearly two decades of his career, Gustafson has been a key player in the successes of most of NASCAR's elite drivers, including Chase Elliott, Jeff Gordon, and Mark Martin. For the current crew chief on Hendrick Motorsports' No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, driven by Chase Elliott, one of his successes was winning the first of back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series championships for Elliott in 2020.

A man known for his engineering background and strategic insights, Gustafson has built a legacy of producing consistent performance and championship-level success in one of the world's most tough and uncompromising environments.

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When did Alan Gustafson become the crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports?

In 2018, Hendrick Motorsports took a bold decision that will forever seal the future of Alan Gustafson and Chase Elliott. The team revived the historic No. 9 that has deep-rooted meaning in Elliott's family history. Chase's father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, spent much of his legendary career with the same number. This marked the beginning of a new life for Gustafson and Elliott, who switched from No. 24 to the newly revitalizing No. 9.

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Gustafson stays as crew chief for Chase Elliott, as the young driver switched over from his first year in 2016. He continues working with Elliott in their first year together with No. 9, proving to be a pretty all-inclusive pairing within the first season. Finally, a string of near-wins and strong performances resulted in Elliott's first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen International in August 2018. That was an exhilarating moment for Elliott and Gustafson, who had helped hone the team's strategic and car setup thinking.

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That win at Watkins Glen marked the beginning of a stellar season, with Elliott and Gustafson winning two more races in 2018 to cement themselves as one of the strongest teams on the circuit. Gustafson's technical skills and patient manner proved well suited with the driving ability of Elliott to form a formula that would eventually bring good returns in seasons that followed.

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Championship Run in 2020

The 2020 season turned out to be the culmination of what they had both been working for all their time together, with Elliott and Gustafson bringing one of the most legendary championship runs in the history of NASCAR. The season saw five wins by the pair, with crucial victories at road courses at Daytona Road Course and Charlotte Roval, affirming their versatility. But what made their wins count were those in the playoffs.

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In the final stretch of the season, the duo of Elliott and Gustafson combined for efforts that would count, and they did just that. Elliott won the last two races of the year, at Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Phoenix victory was a masterclass in strategy and execution, the season finale and championship decider. It was on the pit wall and in-race adjustments that made Elliott dominate that race and claim the championship. That was the first championship victory for Gustafson as a crew chief, and his reputation as one of the best minds in the sport was sure to be taken into serious consideration.

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Continued Success through 2021 and 2022

After taking the championship, Gustafson and Elliott continued to be among the main contenders for the NASCAR Cup Series. In 2021, though unable to have a repeat of the championship, they did take two races, among which was a Road America win. Gustafson proved excellent for Elliott at road courses; he was even given the title "Road Course King" on those courses.

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The team was again instrumental in an outstanding season in 2022, winning five times and finishing for the second consecutive year in the Championship 4 - NASCAR's official postseason playoff system that narrows it down to the final four drivers to compete for the championship in the season-ending finale. Although they didn't do much about winning the championship title, Gustafson and Elliott showed a lot of strength and consistency and finished among the top teams of the series.

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What are the results for the team Hendrick Motorsports in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series?

As of October 2024, the team is currently ranked eighth in the 2024 standings, Elliott’s position in the championship hunt keeps Hendrick Motorsports in contention for another Cup title. In the 2024 season, Chase Elliott has shown competitive form, with one win, eight top-five finishes, 15 top-10 finishes, and one pole position despite facing intense challenges from other top drivers in the field. His car, meticulously prepared by Alan Gustafson, has remained competitive at various tracks, from short ovals to road courses, where Elliott has historically excelled.