Chase Elliott’s Talladega success could be the ticket for playoff hopes

NASCAR Xfinity: NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Darlington - Source: Imagn — Hendrick Cars driver Chase Elliott - Source: Imagn

Amid William Byron and Kyle Larson's success story in 2025, Chase Elliott's name felt bleak as the #9 HMS driver is yet to win a race and qualify for the playoffs. Despite starting multiple races as a favorite, Elliott failed to make it count when it mattered. However, with Talladega as the upcoming race, Elliott's positive statistics at this track, such as two wins, could be the ticket for his playoff hopes.

Going by the statistics, Elliott can call Talladega Superspeedway one of his happy hunting grounds, as he won two races here (2019 GEICO 500 and 2022 YellaWood 500) and claimed five Top 5s, eight Top 10s, and led 215 laps in 18 outings in total.

Chase Elliott's last race here in 2024 turned out to be underwhelming as he got wrecked with five laps to go. He was running well within points after starting from 11th place, but in the end, went home empty-handed. Keeping this aside, Elliott's last few races have also been pretty commendable.

The #9 driver finished the Martinsville Speedway race in fourth place, followed by the Darlington Raceway race in eighth place. In the recently concluded race in Bristol, Elliott managed a 16th-place finish. In a nutshell, if the #9 HMS driver keeps his form intact, the upcoming Talladega race could bring his 23rd Cup Series win and a ticket to the playoffs.

Currently, Chase Elliott is in fifth place in the drivers' standings with 278 points. Elliott boasts a statistic of two Top 5s and five Top 10s and has led 44 laps in nine outings so far this season. His average start position has been 12.889, and his average finish position has been 11.556.

Elliot is yet to claim a pole this season or suffer a DNF. The upcoming Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Alabama, will take place on April 27 at 3:00 PM ET.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. summed up Chase Elliott's Cup Series season so far

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his take on Chase Elliott's 2025 Cup Series season so far. In the recent Dale Jr Download podcast, the former NASCAR driver stated that even though the #9 team is struggling for now, they are heading in the right direction, nonetheless.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) during qualifying for the NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. - Source: Imagn

"Chase, to me, like this tells you how tough the Cup Series is,” Earnhardt said. “He got injured in a snowboarding deal; I know that was a while ago, but that little disruption sort of set him back and the team just couldn’t ever find their groove or find their speed and some consistency and get him comfortable. For a while, it was really a struggle."

“Now this year, I’m starting to see that car like you might expect it to. They still have some tough days; I think Bristol they were probably disappointed for sure to be not in the top 10. It was just a track position thing more than likely. But I think there’s a glimmer of what can be for that team. I know he’s probably disappointed, but I think they’ve improved and are starting to head in the right direction.”

Notably, Earnhardt Jr. was referring to the snowboarding accident that Elliott suffered back in March 2023. The accident injured Elliott, and it required surgery.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua