$12M-worth Chase Elliott joins Kyle Larson and fellow HMS teammates to tackle Bowman Gray debut challenge

All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers, including Chase Elliott, got together to play a little 'guess' game ahead of NASCAR's inaugural race at Bowman Gray. In the game, the drivers had to guess the year when they made their debut at the Bowman Gray Stadium.

NASCAR is all set to return to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the first time in 54 years to host a race this Sunday, as Bowman Gray Stadium will host the season-opener. It is a track where many drivers raced before in other disciplines, while many didn't.

However, all four HMS drivers raced around this track, and in the game with HMS' social media, the drivers got down to guess the year they made their debut here at Bowman Gray. Elliot, who's worth $12 million (as per Celebrity Net Worth) started off and said:

"I'm gonna guess, the year was 2012? Is that right?

Alex Bowman followed Elliott. He stated:

"Uh, that was, 2011."

After Bowman, William Byron jumped in:

"So this race is from Bowman Gray Stadium, and I was racing in the K&N Pro Series at the time, and that's 2015."

Finally, after Byron, it was Kyle Larson's turn. He added:

"Well, this would be in 2012, Bowman Gray. Yeah, I think that's pole position. I remember getting the pole there. So it was a fun qualifying lap."

Hendrick Motorsports retained all four drivers from the Cup Series from 2024. They were also given the charge to be in their respective teams, as Larson to remain in the #5 entry, Elliott in the #9, Bowman in the #48, and Byron in the #24.

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Chase Elliott not banking on previous Bowman Gray experience

Chase Elliott (9) during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As NASCAR returns to Bowman Gray Stadium for the Cook Out Clash, Chase Elliott does not think he holds an edge there. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has experience of racing at the track earlier, but he is not banking on that experience to perform on Sunday.

“I don’t think so. It’s been so long since I’ve been there,” Elliott said. "And yeah, those K&N races were years ago, so. I don’t really think that’s going to help. I think probably the last few years having been at the Coliseum, I know it’s going to be different, for sure."

"But I do think there will be some similarities and just a track of that size and kinda how quick things happen, how quick do corners come up on you. I think just the cadence of a lap, having a little bit of time here recently is, in my opinion going to mean a little more than my race at Bowman Gray that was however many years ago, 15 years ago,” Chase Elliott added [via non3.com].

A majority of the Cup Series drivers have already raced at the track, except a few. It will be interesting to see how they use that experience and perform in the NASCAR opener on Sunday at 8 PM ET.