“I owe everything I have to Rick Hendrick”: Chase Elliott discusses future with HMS as NASCAR star nears career milestone at Charlotte

NASCAR's most popular driver, Chase Elliott, has expressed his gratitude and loyalty to Hendrick Motorsports, the organization with which he has been associated since his debut in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Elliott joined the HMS in 2015, and since then, he has become an integral part of the team.

Elliott is set to make his 300th Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. He credited Rick Hendrick for his success, stating that HMS owner owes everything he has in his career.

In a recent interview with HendrickMotorsports.com, Chase Elliott shared his thoughts on the milestone of reaching 300 career starts. He also expressed his desire to spend his entire career with HMS.

Reflecting on his career, Elliott said (via HendrickMotorsports.com):

“I don't know how long my career will go, but I would love to spend it all here. This has been the only home I have ever known in my NASCAR career, which is really cool. I owe everything I have to Rick (Hendrick), the opportunities and my life, just every bit. It's been a lot of fun.”

“To be able to call one place home and drive for one guy is a big deal to me. 300 (starts) is wild to think about with a 38-race season. We've been around longer than you think,” Elliott added.

Elliott, who calls HMS his home, has garnered 19 wins and 12 poles, as well as 98 top-five and 158 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series. He won the maiden Cup championship in 2020 and qualified for the championship 4 in three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022.

The 28-year-old was named NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver six times and was also inducted into NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.

---

Chase Elliott recalls his first Cup Series victory

Elliott’s first Cup Series win came in his third full-time season with Hendrick Motorsports. After securing eight runner-up finishes in NASCAR’s top-level series, Elliott reached the victory lane for the first time at Watkins Glen International in 2018.

Chase Elliott emerged victorious after holding off a hard-charging Martin Truex Jr. on the final lap to win his first career Cup race.

Recalling the first Cup victory at The Glen, Elliott said:

“It was a memorable day and one that I'll never forget. Your first win — at least for us — was hard to get. We had a tough road to that first win. It meant a lot to us because of that.”

Chase Elliott will look to secure a win in his 300th Cup Series start on Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 (May 26). Heading to Charlotte, the #9 HMS driver stands fourth in the Cup points table with 437 points.