26x NASCAR winner worried about Chase Elliott not making playoffs with teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron

Chase Elliott has been through a lot in his current NASCAR Cup Series season, missing six races due to a leg injury and being suspended for one event. His wayward 2023 season has now put him in the playoff bubble, as he hasn't won a race this year.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Elliott and Alex Bowman are hanging on to their chances of making it to the playoffs, being 56 and 46 points behind the cutoff mark respectively. On the other side of the HMS camp, William Byron and Kyle Larson have put together an impressive season, with the #24 a weekly contender for the race win.

Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman are desperately looking for a win. However, 26x-time NASCAR Cup race winner Dale Earnahardt Jr has bleak expectations for the two HMS drivers. While Larson and Byron are title favorites, Earnhardt Jr. reckons that Elliott and Bowman won't be a factor in the championship battle.

"Going to be interesting now that Chase is pretty much going to muscle in." he said on his podcast Dale Jr. Download. "It’s going to be interesting to watch him battle that up. I love it, and I think it’s fascinating, knowing these guys probably aren’t winning a championship this year, they are not gonna factor into the final four."

Earnhardt Jr's statement is a harsh reality given Chase Elliott's recent form. Securing a playoff spot is an uphill battle for the #9 Chevy driver. But contending for the title in the playoff season will be a huge ask for the underdelivering #9 team.

Jeff Gordon and Chase Elliott

Elliott has been a perennial playoff contender since his rookie season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. reckons it would be "freaking embarrassing" if he fails to qualify this season.

"I don’t believe it, but the bubble battle is something to talk about it. It’s important to them, it matters to them when you do not make it to the playoffs, it is freaking embarrassing. And especially when you don’t, and a teammate does, even worse, and there is no way that your team owner just mashes the reset button in all season and says I’ll go again."

However, all is not over for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, who still has five races to secure his playoff spot. He heads to some of his favorite tracks next month, with Watkins Glen as one of his favorite hunting grounds.

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Veteran NASCAR crew chief "would be shocked" if Chase Elliott fails to make the playoffs

Dale Earnhardt Jr's former crew chief Steve Letarte admitted he would be shocked if Chase Elliott doesn't make it to the playoffs. Letarte explained the #9 driver's chances in a recent discussion with Jeff Burton as he said:

"I would be shocked if he isn’t in the picture. And it’s got to come and we don’t expect it right. He hasn’t won at Richmond. Why not? A bazillion seconds in Michigan? Why not? Maybe Daytona, maybe finally close to Daytona and wins like Austin Dillon did a year ago."

Letarte added that he doesn't want to be on the "bandwagon" that doesn't count Chase Elliott as a legitimate playoff contender.