What happened to Chase Elliott and when will the Hendrick Motorsports driver return?

Chase Elliott's three-hour successful surgery to mend a fractured tibia has resulted in an indefinite absence. Jeff Andrews, general manager of Hendrick Motorsports, provided an update on Saturday.

The star NASCAR driver's return date is currently unknown. Elliott suffered a left leg injury while snowboarding in Colorado on Friday. In Sunday's Las Vegas cup race, Josh Berry will take Elliott's place behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet.

Here's what Jeff Andrews had to say about the injury:

“We’re going to race a long time together with Chase Elliott and we’re going to win a lot more races together.

“Certainly, there’s a little bit of a setback, and obviously Chase is very disappointed. The most important thing is Chase’s health, and we’ll have a suit ready for him when he’s healthy and ready to get back in a race car.”

Andrews stated that the process of obtaining a NASCAR waiver for Chase Elliott to be eligible for this year's playoffs had begun. Other drivers have received waivers for a number of different reasons.

Brad Keselowski, the 2012 series champion, said he wouldn't mind if Elliott was granted a waiver:

“Life happens, the schedule is just so demanding. It’s inevitable that it’s going to happen to somebody sometimes." Keselowski said.

Meanwhile, Josh Berry will be in charge of attempting to score points for the team. His first race will be at a track where he has won two Xfinity Series races (including one in October) and placed in the top ten in all four previous appearances.

“I’m going to be learning a new car here in an hour or so, so at least having some success on the track, I think that definitely gives me more confidence in what I’m doing, It’s been a wild couple of days. You never know what will happen when you wake up.” Berry said on Saturday.

Kyle Busch said he spoke with Elliott and recounted his own experiences recovering from a fractured right leg and left foot at Daytona in 2015. He missed ten races that season but went on to win his first series championship:

“That’s what we live for and build on our whole lives to have success. Chase is plenty young (27) and I’m sure plenty healthy enough that it’s not going to be anything too crazy to go through.” Busch said.

Three-time Denny Hamlin missed four races in 2013 after sustaining a complex fracture in his back in a collision with Joey Logano.

“I had to sit out with a back injury in 2013 and watch the car go around with Mark Martin and Brian Vickers and it was like, ‘Wow, this is different seeing someone in it,' but I do think there’s are positives in it. I think you become rejuvenated. I think you become more appreciative of the opportunity that you have,” Hamlin stated.

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Drivers and fans send Chase Elliott best wishes for his speedy recovery

Chase Elliott would have had a terrific performance if he hadn't been hurt. He finished second in the series' second event of the season last week in Fontana, California. Elliott was engaged in an accident at the Daytona 500 the week prior.

As the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, Chase is a second-generation driver. The Georgia native has been named NASCAR's most popular driver five times by fans.

Fans and fellow drivers wished him a speedy recovery on social media.

The timeline for Chase Elliott's recovery is currently uncertain, but we should have more information on that in the coming days.