When Chase Elliott reminded a NASCAR Insider of Patrick Mahomes following his 2020 championship

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott clinched the 2020 NASCAR Championship with stellar performances in the final two races, all while under immense pressure. Notably, former Chicago Bears offensive lineman and NASCAR show host Kyle Long compared Elliott’s skill and versatility to star NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Elliott entered the penultimate race at Martinsville Speedway in a must-win situation to secure a spot in the season finale. He won the race and delivered another dominant performance in Phoenix to claim the championship. Showcasing his prowess on both road courses and ovals, the #9 HMS driver finally put together a championship-winning season in 2020.

Long, the former Chicago Bears star, compared NFL superstar Mahomes to Elliott after the 2020 championship race. Long emphasized how the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver rose to the occasion, delivering a title-winning performance when it mattered most. Highlighting Mahomes' versatility, he added that Elliott could similarly dominate on both road courses and ovals.

"I loved, there's a post-race interview where you're talking about you backs being against the wall and you guys don't do it often enough. And I was watching you do the interview and I'm thinking to myself, this dude [Chase Elliott], understands the importance of the moment and is going to capitalize and he thrives on it." he said on the Kyle Long show in 2020. [from 6:07]

"I mean Patrick Mahomes, who thrives in adverse situations and he's versatile, you're a road course guy, you could dominate there, you're an oval guy, you can dominate there and now you're a champion." he added.

Entering the 2025 season, the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver has 19 Cup wins and is aiming for his second Cup Series title.

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Chase Elliott on lessons learned during "long and rocky road" to first Cup victory

Chase Elliott made his full-time Cup Series debut in 2016 but had to wait until 2018 for his maiden win. Despite coming agonizingly close multiple times, it took him 98 races to secure his first victory at Watkins Glen International.

On the Kyle Long Show, Elliott shared that the setbacks leading up to his first victory shaped him, preparing him to win races and contend for championships. They also helped him handle the intense pressure during the final two weeks of the 2020 season.

"That road to that first win was such a long and rocky road and just a lot of rocky days, that man I left the racetrack wanting to go crawl in a hole, I messed up so bad. But I see things now and how things worked out I'm like, Dang, I know for a fact those tough days leaving the racetracks helped shape and helped me deal with the last two weeks and be prepared and focus on the things that really matter." he said. [from 6:40]

After winning the 2020 championship, Elliott stated that he had come full circle, emphasizing that those early career defeats taught him valuable lessons.