Chase Elliott playoff chances despite winless season are drawing attention, as NASCAR expert Jeff Gluck recently discussed Elliott’s path to the postseason even though he has not secured a win in over a year. The 2020 Cup champion last celebrated victory at Texas in April 2024, but his track record for consistent finishes is shaping his playoff prospects.
On The Teardown podcast, Gluck emphasized that Elliott remains a strong candidate for the postseason. He pointed out that while multiple drivers have notched wins, there are still several playoff spots open for competitors who qualify on points. Currently, Elliott sits well above the cutoff line, having delivered top-20 performances in every race this year, including three top-five and four top-10 results. This steady form puts him in a favorable position as the season progresses.
“Three guys that have three wins a piece, then there’s six drivers that have one win each, so there’s seven spots right now available for the playoffs on points, and obviously, you look at Chase Elliot is plus 142, Reddick is plus 138, they’re going to make it. I mean, even with a massive meltdown of horrible proportions and terrible luck, they’re still going to make it,” Gluck said. —Jeff Gluck, NASCAR Insider
Gluck further acknowledged that Hendrick Motorsports, the team behind Elliott, has been performing adequately. However, recent races like Michigan presented challenges, including a fuel mileage gamble and an ill-timed caution that negatively affected their race strategy.
Contrasting Fortunes: Elliott Maintains Consistency While Bowman Struggles
The discussion also turned to Alex Bowman, another Hendrick Motorsports driver, whose season has been markedly different from Elliott’s. Despite both remaining winless, Bowman’s campaign has been plagued by misfortune and inconsistency, setting him apart from his more constant teammate.
“Alex Bowman, oh man Bowman’s bad stretch here has got him to only plus 13 very uncomfortable for him by the way I see a lot of like well Bowman doesn’t belong in the car that wasn’t even his fault today he got completely cleaned out turned head first into the wall,” Gluck said —Jeff Gluck, NASCAR Insider
Podcast co-host Jordan Bianchi observed that Bowman’s season has taken a downturn, with a string of poor finishes affecting his points standing. Although Bowman nearly clinched a win at Homestead and managed a fifth-place finish at Kansas, his fortunes have declined since then, with only one top-five and one top-10 finish after those events. He has had seven races finishing outside the top 20 since his strong result at Homestead.
Bowman’s decline is evident in the points rankings, as highlighted by Jordan Bianchi, with Bowman falling from third to 13th in just nine races. In contrast, Elliott’s consistent collection of strong results keeps his playoff pursuit firmly on track, despite the ongoing win drought.
Postseason Outlook for Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports
With several races remaining before the playoffs, Elliott continues to demonstrate that consistent, solid performances can be just as valuable as wins in the quest for a playoff spot. His steady results, alongside insights from NASCAR insiders like Jeff Gluck, reinforce the view that his postseason appearance is all but assured unless extraordinary misfortune strikes. Meanwhile, Alex Bowman faces mounting pressure to improve his form and secure his own place in the championship chase for Hendrick Motorsports.
The contrasting seasons for Elliott and Bowman highlight the unpredictable nature of NASCAR’s playoff battle, where consistency and resilience remain key contributors in determining who advances to compete for the Cup.
