“Your crew chief is costing you everything”: Chase Elliott running out of fuel mid-race angers fans as they call for Alan Gustafson’s sacking

Chase Elliott's struggles to get into the 2023 NASCAR postseason playoffs seem to be never-ending. With the Cup Series racing for the second last time at Watkins Glen International this weekend, the Hendrick Motorsport driver seems to have fallen out of contention at a track he was predicted to be dominant at.

Elliott's weekend did not kick off on the best note when the #9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver qualified in P6 position on Saturday ahead of Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen.

After a dismal effort of qualifying an overall P15, the Dawsonville, Georgia native was seen barely holding on to the front of the pack in the opening stages of the 220-mile-long event.

With Chase Elliott's fellow teammate William Byron leading the field late in the race after clinching the Stage 2 win, questions about pace in the Hendrick Motorsports cars were somewhat cleared.

To add to his already thinning playoff hopes this weekend, Elliott also managed to run out of fuel at the bus stop chicane of the track during stage 3, with a miscalculated pit strategy.

Now sitting a lap down on the leaders, Chase Elliott's hopes of qualifying into the top 16 seem to rely solely on a victory at Daytona International Speedway next weekend.

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Angry fans react to Chase Elliott running out of fuel during NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen

A plethora of angry NASCAR fans took to social media to criticize Chase Elliott and his #9 crew at Hendrick Motorsports after the team managed to run out of fuel during stage 3 at Watkins Glen International.

Here are some of the highlights:

"Your crew chief is costing you everything. Week after week he makes bad calls. If he had it as a team leader he’s lost it. I’ve never been impressed with him."

"Chase Elliott has been at fault a few times this season; however, Elliott’s crew chief Alan Gustafson has been even worse at certain points. Elliott running out of fuel on the race track is pretty unacceptable. Now, the No. 9 team NEEDS to win at Daytona."

"This is fireable for Gustafson."

"Fire Alan!!!!"

"Crew chief fired."

"Fire Gustafsson immediately"

"L crew chief"

"that’s a firable offense for alan gustafson"

With the fans' fury directed at Elliott's acting crew chief Alan Gustafson, running out of fuel while the 27-year-old sits in a must-win position in his 2023 campaign is certainly a big oversight on the team as well as the crew chief's part.