When will Chase Elliott return? Hendrick Motorsports share an update

Chase Elliott's appearance in last Sunday's race was hampered by the 27-year-old's recent snowboarding accident which left him with a broken left leg.

Troubles for the Hendrick Motorsports driver seemingly have not ended just yet, as the Dawsonville, georgia native is on no set schedule to return to his full-time driver role in the #11 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Concord, North Carolina-based racing outfit.

With Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry having filled in for Elliott in the Cup Series last weekend, Hendrick Motorsports also released an official statement on the timeline of Chase Elliott's return to his car.

On the eve of Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jeff Andrews, Hendrick Motorsports' president and general manager, broke the news of Elliott's successful surgery and on-track recovery after the incident in Colorado left the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion with a broken tibia.

Satting a recovery process that could stretch into weeks of rest for the 2023 regular season champion, Andrews said:

“At this point in time, we would expect this obviously to be several weeks, but beyond that, I don’t have a timeline to offer for you. We will obviously work with Chase and his doctors in the future to help determine that."

"But again, I just can’t reiterate enough that for Mr. Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports, the most important thing is Chase’s health and his well-being. We will work with him on that timeline."

Andrews further elaborated on how Hendrick Motorsports as an organization does not believe in restricting their drivers to the confines of a racetrack and lets them live their lives as they wish, which sometimes comes with unfortunate incidents. He said:

“These guys have to go out and live a life outside of the race track, and certainly what Chase (Elliott) was doing was not anything abnormal for him, he’s an experienced snowboarder. He’s been doing it most of his life, and it was an accident. A similar injury could happen falling off a mountain bike or stepping off a curb while you’re jogging.”

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Kevin Harvick sides with Chase Elliott and feels living 'in a bubble' fearing injuries will be impossible for race car drivers

Stewart Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick was quick to speak in favor of Chase Elliott's decision to go snowboarding during the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season and elaborated on how drivers' lives are not just limited to the racetrack all the time, saying:

“I’m in the category with Chase, I like to live my life. I like to ski. I like to go do things. I’ve had just as bad injuries walking around my kitchen, falling over my cat or whatever, playing with my kids or whatever it is."

"Stuff’s gonna happen, but you know this deal, there’s way too much time spent at the race track to not be able to live the rest of your life and to have to live in a bubble is impossible."

It remains to be seen how soon Chase Elliott will be in proper enough shape to drive in the highest echelon of stock car racing.