"It hurts when your teammate beat you" - Chase Elliott will have to start answering questions in the media, says former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief

Chase Elliott, driving Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, has been experiencing a career drought over his past 20 races, failing to secure a win. The No. 9 driver last won a race on July 4th, 2021 at Road America, and since then his best has yielded a runner-up position or a top ten finish.

As he began the season, most predicted he was not going to race more than three events without clinching a win. Things, however, have changed. He has been performing excellently, but his finishing laps always let him down.

Elliott led 185 laps and took full control of the race, but he ended up finishing in 10th place while his teammate William Byron took the lead in the final and carried the day. His performance at Martinsville attracted the attention of Steve Letarte, a sports analyst as well as a former Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Speaking on NBC on Elliot’s performance, Letarte said:

“It hurts less when someone else beats you because you think they might have something you don’t”

On Twitter, Nate Ryan updated Chase Elliott's performance.

Elliott hasn't faced many rough weekends, posting only one poor performance in California where he posted a 26th place finish. In most races, Chase Elliott has taken the lead, but ended up losing it before touching the checkered flag. In Phoenix, for instance, Elliott led 50 laps but ended up finishing in the 11th position.

Chase Elliott's performance at Atlanta

In Atlanta, he managed to lead 29 laps and recorded a top ten finish, finishing in sixth position. However, the recently concluded race at Martinsville was one of the most painful finishes considering the number of laps he led.

While addressing the issue, a sports analyst commented that:

“He's going to have to start answering these questions in the media, and a good media member is going to ask those questions.”

Chase Elliott is the only driver in Hendrick Motorsports who has not yet clinched a win. Though he has zero wins, he is still at the top of the points table. His hopes of winning the race now depend on Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend at the Food City Dirt Race.