"From my peers to my teammates": When Chase Elliott shared what he missed the most whilst nursing his leg injury in 2023

Chase Elliott made a notable return to NASCAR after missing six races due to a leg injury sustained in a snowboarding accident in March 2023. In his first race back at Martinsville Speedway, Elliott finished in the Top 10.

Elliott's injury required surgery to repair a fractured tibia, which sidelined him for an extended period. His comeback was highly anticipated, and despite the time away from racing, he managed to perform well on his return. The race served as a significant milestone for him, marking not only his return to competition but also his ability to quickly adapt back to the high-pressure environment of NASCAR.

After the race, he spoke with Regan Smith, reflecting on the challenges he faced during his recovery and expressing gratitude for the support he received from his team and fans. When asked what one thing he missed the most over the past six weeks, the 29-year-old replied:

"I think the people, honestly. From my peers to my teammates to just that competitive nature of being here and wanting to be better. So it's really nice to be back, and I appreciate the warm welcome this weekend by everybody. So I appreciate that, and definitely didn't go unnoticed." [00:52 onwards]

Chase Elliott started the 2025 NASCAR season on a high note, winning the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. This victory marked NASCAR's return to Bowman Gray Stadium for the first time since 1971, making the event historic. Elliott dominated the race, leading 171 of the 200 laps and holding off challenges from Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin.

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“More than I thought”: Chase Elliott described his feelings about Bowman Gray track’s ‘racy’ condition

In a post-race discussion with Kevin Harvick, Elliott expressed surprise at how "racy" the track felt, contrary to initial expectations given Bowman Gray's reputation for aggressive racing and frequent cautions. The 200-lap race was relatively tame compared to the earlier LCQ, featuring only four lead changes and seven cautions, excluding the competition caution.

"It was and I think even more than I thought it was going to be as well. I attribute that to just the age of the surface and in my opinion, it took a little bit of time for the tire wear to get to a position that you did have an option to move off the bottom, but it did happen," Chase Elliott explained.

Chase Elliott attributed the track's surprisingly good racing conditions to the age of the surface, which allowed for tire wear and provided drivers with options to move off the bottom lane. He also pointed to the track's characteristics, such as longer straightaways and sweeping corners, which differed from tighter tracks like the Coliseum.

The Goodyear tires, with its wear and fall-off after 60-70 laps, also contributed to the improved racing, creating opportunities for drivers to "hurt the tire" and make moves.