Chase Elliott returns to the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course this weekend with his focus on another victory at the Roval, a track where he has seen significant success before. With his recent win at Kansas already securing his place in the Round of Eight, Elliott is eyeing another strong performance as attention turns to how he and his team approach this unique event. The Chase Elliott Charlotte Roval story continues to be a central focus as the NASCAR Cup Series heads into a pivotal weekend.
Chase Elliott Confident Ahead of Another Challenge at the Roval
Chase Elliott, representing Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 9 Chevrolet, faces the weekend as a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner at the Charlotte Roval. Having already locked in his advancement in the playoffs, Elliott approaches this race with confidence and simplicity in his goals. The driver emphasized his intent to replicate previous successes at this track and keep his team in contention throughout the weekend.
“Oh, yeah, try to get another win. You know, I think fortunately, last week keeps things really simple for us. So, yeah, that’s the goal. I think we are very capable of contending this week. We’ve had, you know, a good pace over the last few trips to this event, and hopefully we can replicate some of that and keep ourselves in the mix, have a shot.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Staying Focused as Playoff Pressure Eases
Elliott discussed the mental toll of the playoff season, noting that securing a win at Kansas helped reduce some of the usual strategy-related complexities. However, he insisted that his team’s level of focus and preparation remains high regardless of circumstances, highlighting the importance of maintaining routine and commitment throughout the remainder of the season.
“Yeah, I mean, I definitely think it keeps your strategy really simple, you know. Especially if you are a contender on the day and have good pace. A lot of those questions are just answered on how fast or slow you are, you know, truthfully. So, I feel like our intensity is usually pretty high. I feel like we’re always really locked in on what we need to do. I don’t know that the situation really changes that. We still try to show up each week and be really prepared, and I thought we had a good week of prep this week and kind of went about our business like we would have done if we hadn’t won last week. So, I think that’s the important thing to keep that cadence and keep your process the same. Because it’s not like the season’s over, we still have another month. I think our team is in a good place and we just keep going about our business and keep our heads down. We certainly know we have room to improve, even with last week. So we look to try and do some of that this week and then certainly try and find, find some more next week in Vegas.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Less Pressure Allows for Strategic Freedom
With his playoff position secure, Elliott explained how this translates into a less pressured and potentially freer racing approach. He described the advantages in not having to chase stage points so aggressively, instead being able to focus on outright race wins and maximizing playoff points whenever possible. Nonetheless, Elliott underscored that his intent to extract performance from the car remains unchanged by these circumstances.
“Yeah, I mean, I think the difference is not having a short stage or having the ability to short stages and not feeling so pressured to run to the end if you need the points, right? I’ve said that a lot, but, you know, road course racing in general, this time of year, in some cases, it can almost decide whether or not you have a chance to win the race, and you kind of see guys put themselves in certain buckets, and they have to have the points, and we’ve been there, and I get it. And you just can’t afford to lose the stage points, right? So, I think that’s really the biggest thing that it does more than anything. I think from my perspective behind the wheel, I’m still going to try and go and extract as much pace from the car as I can like I would have done anyway. But, yeah, just nice to not have to worry about that side of the fence, you know, it’s such a nice thing when you come to these places, assuming you have good pace, and all those things. Now, if we’re slow and you don’t have a legitimate shot to win or beat the top runners, then maybe you do consider still running to the end of stages if it could potentially give you a stage win. That would be an extra point, right? So, I think it’s number one, it’s how can you win? And then number two, it is how can you accumulate the playoff points? And to me, I think the priorities go in that order.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
The Challenge of the Charlotte Roval’s Unique Road Layout
Turning attention to the track itself, the Charlotte Roval poses a significant test as a converted oval-turned-road course. Elliott emphasized that the track lacks the natural flow found in purpose-built road courses, making it difficult to establish rhythm. Achieving this rhythm and adapting quickly have been crucial in his past successes and remain a primary challenge with each return to the track.
“I mean, it’s, it’s nothing new, you know, at this point. We’ve been coming here for a number of years now and I’ve said, really from the get-go, it’s a place that it doesn’t have a lot of flow to it. It’s a really choppy road course, and it’s kind of a makeshift road course, and it is. In a lot of ways, you know, having a rhythm and a flow is a really important piece of road racing, at least it is for me, and this is one of those places where it just doesn’t really come naturally. You kind of have to find that and create that. And it’s hard to do. And I’ve had trips where I’ve been able to do that, and I’ve also had trips that I haven’t, and you know, it’s a challenge. So, you know, I look forward to getting out on track and, you know, trying to, you know, find some of that.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Approaching Las Vegas After a Rollercoaster of Results
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, part of the next playoff round, has been a point of difficulty in Elliott’s career, particularly since the introduction of the Next Gen car. He reflected on a series of crashes and struggles at the track, yet noted occasional improvements and hopes for better performances moving forward. Elliott indicated that recent conversations about Las Vegas within the team have been part of a consistent approach to preparation, rather than a shift in focus.
“Yeah, we’ve crashed a lot, you know? So that’s hurt for sure. Lots of crashes out of Vegas for us, really throughout the whole entirety of my career. You know, I’m trying to think through, you, all of the scenarios and its hard to remember. And then we’ve just had some bad runs there. I thought we had some pretty good runs prior to Next Gen and then kind of the inception of the Next Gen car, I feel like it was a pretty big step backwards. And then I thought we had a really good run there going last fall. I thought we made some nice gains last year as a whole there. Had a really, really nice run going. I was excited about just having a solid day there in the fall, and crashed. And I thought this spring was solid. More in the ballpark, not as good as we were in the fall, but certainly more competitive than some of the races, I think, that you were mentioning. So, this deal, as it always is, is what have you done lately, and that narrative can be really different next week if we do a job, right?”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
“No, truthfully, our our prep work in our week was really similar to, like, it always is. I as a person and we as a team, I feel like we take things kind of week to week and this week was really no different. I mean we always touch on Vegas a little bit here or there, like, if there are things that, you know, coming off Kansas while it’s fresh, something that might translate, of course, we’re going to talk about those things. But nothing was any different. We just, I feel like it’s just an open dialogue all the time. Like we talk about everything and I think everything’s on the table. But us talking about Vegas and the conversations that we had were no different. Like, we would have been talking about that stuff anyway. So, I didn’t really see where it changed.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
The Impact of Fan Interactions Beyond Racing
For Elliott, one aspect of his role that stands out is the interaction with fans, especially being included in milestone moments such as gender reveals. He noted that while such encounters can sometimes be taken for granted, they serve as reminders of the influence drivers have on fans’ lives and the responsibility that comes with it.
“Yeah, it’s really cool, and I say this, but, you know, you totally do take that stuff for granted a little bit sometimes. It’s always really important to remind yourself, just the impact that you can have on someone’s day. Just being in the position and, you know, very fortunate to be in that position and I always try to show appreciation for that and show as much respect as I can. I am human. I do have bad days, too, right? Just like we all do, so, you know, there are times where, you know, you probably don’t express your best and you look back and wish you had done better or done different. I’m certainly guilty of that too, but those moments are special because it is a great reminder to me that you can have that type of impact in someone’s life or just in someone’s day. If you can help put a smile on somebody’s face for five minutes, or whatever, you made a difference, whether you like it or not, you made a difference. I think there’s a little bit of responsibility in that. So, as I’ve gotten a little older, I try to, you know understand that and make sure I’m showing the respect in those situations that I would want, and I appreciate them letting me be a part of it. It was definitely a first, for me. So, that was kind of cool, but, yeah, all those moments are, you know, unique in their own ways.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Adapting to Setbacks and Repairs During Races
Reflecting on past incidents, both for his team and others, Elliott spoke about the importance of resilience and the ability to recover from setbacks. Whether dealing with damaged cars or unexpected race interruptions, Elliott attributes success in these moments to both luck in the extent of damage and the determination of never giving up.
“Yeah, I mean, obviously they did a great job. You know, it was unfortunate. was not his fault either. So yeah, I’m sure they had some bad moments there, you know, when that first happened. Just in thoughts and what the damage could be. In both of my scenarios and in their scenario yesterday, there was some good fortune in what part of the car was hurt and what parts weren’t. Fortunately, in all three of those scenarios, enough of the suspension was not bent and enough of the body was still intact to be able to repair it. So that’s number one. If you can fix it, is it fixable? How bad is the damage? Fortunately, all those situations, you know, and for us and those two that you referenced, our car wasn’t hurt that bad. And the pace here is pretty slow, and when you look at it from an aero perspective, you’re not going super-fast. Yes it is a deficiency, but you can kind of patch it back together and go out there and still have a solid day with a beat up race car. So that plays a role. And then, you know, I think the mentality aspect of it is really all the same. I feel like we’re always of the mindset you’re never giving in, right? So whatever situation you’re faced with, that is not an option. So, it’s just, you just put your head down and fight through whatever it is until it’s over, you know, until somebody says it’s done. And that’s just how it’s going to be.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Competitive Spirit and Influence of Talented Rivals
The presence of exceptional drivers on the road course circuit, such as Shane van Gisbergen, was discussed by Elliott as both a challenge and a motivator. He acknowledged the prowess of talented competitors and emphasized the importance of celebrating their accomplishments, while encouraging continual self-improvement to match the elevated levels of performance.
“Yeah, I mean, there’s no question he’s done a fantastic job. I’ve always tried to give him the credit that I think he deserves for the discipline and how good he is at it, and I think that should be celebrated, you know? I’ve always been a fan of if a guy’s dominating something, so what? You know you as writers and fans should celebrate that, and then us as competitors should figure out how can we make ourselves better to try and recapture where the bar has been set. So, he has certainly raised the bar in a lot of ways on the road courses. Why is that? He’s a great talent, no question. He has a number of years of experience driving cars very similar to this. Maybe not quite as heavy, I’m not sure what the weight of those cars are, but certainly from a trans axle perspective, and I think those cars are independent, rear suspension as well if I’m not mistaken. Might check on that, I’m not sure, but nonetheless, there are some similarities that I think that have helped him make that transition into these cars. But then you look at his Xfinity’s success on that side, he’s also very good in those cars, and that’s nothing like he came from. That’s why I say, he’s a great talent and we shouldn’t take that away, either. So, I think you just give credit where it’s due, and I think he’s a good racer. He’s always raced me with a lot of respect, and you know, from my perspective, I just want I just want to get better and try to put myself and our team in the ballpark to go up there and run with it.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Adjusting Strategy for Technical Sections of the Roval
As the Roval continues to evolve, Elliott provided insight on how changes to particular sections, such as turns 5, 6, and 7, present ongoing challenges. He described the importance of effective gearing choices and car control over blind or hilly segments that can disrupt the car’s balance, emphasizing how these decisions affect the run toward critical parts of the track like the bus stop and the main straightaway.
“Yeah, it’s definitely changed, man. I think the biggest challenge of that section is it’s a little blind as you exit, the quick right to come over the hill, it’s a little blind. You end up kind of going over a hump in the road and that can upset the car. So just kind of how you, how you get through that quick right, you know, whatever you decide to do with your gearing, there’s a couple different options. I think you can downshift earlier or downshift late. It is kind of a dealer’s choice. But I think more importantly, just getting the car settled to get over that rise and be able to, you recapture the grip on the back side, to set up a really important apex coming back on the big track, obviously, that leads to a long straightaway. So, priority always leans towards whatever the corner is that has the longest straightaway, right? So, you know all that is kind of a setup for how you exit and take yourself to the bus stop. So it’s kind of all connected.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Comparing Adapted Courses to Purpose-Built Tracks
When asked about the distinctions between adapted oval road courses, such as Charlotte and Indianapolis, versus purpose-built courses like Watkins Glen and Sonoma, Elliott pointed out the inherent differences in track flow and rhythm. According to him, the challenge at the Roval lies in the need to create a flow rather than rely on the natural transitions present at purpose-built facilities.
“Yeah, I think kind of coming back to Claire’s question, really, it’s just about how much of a natural flow it has, that’s the only difference I see with it. This is just a place that doesn’t have a very good natural flow. You know, you go to Watkins Glen and it flows, whether you like it or not. You know, that’s just kind of what it is, the way the racetrack was built where certain turns set you up for the next one. And that’s how a lot of road courses are. That were purpose built that way. Sonoma was that way in a lot of ways. COTA is that way in a lot of ways and this place is just not. And I think that’s where, you know, coming back to finding that within yourself, creating that rhythm, creating that flow, you know, is going to help you create repetition and lap time and be able to hit your marks and do it, you throughout the entirety of a run.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
Debate Over Road Course Inclusion in the Playoffs
The ongoing discussion among drivers regarding whether the fall playoff event should remain a road course or revert to the oval layout was also addressed. Elliott doesn’t express a strong preference, noting that while road racing generated excitement especially pre–Next Gen, the current car seems more compatible with intermediate ovals, possibly fueling calls to revisit the format.
“Um, I really don’t. I mean, I think the argument from that perspective has just been that pre–Next Gen, we were hungry for more road races, right? And, you know, the road course had put on a lot of excitement, and I think that’s what they were after, you know, for this event in the fall. It does seem to me like the mile and a half stuff suits this car a little better than it has suited the road racing, from an excitement perspective. So, I think that’s probably why some of those conversations have resurfaced. But I don’t have a preference on where if there is a road race in the in the final 10. I’m good with whichever one they picked.”
– Chase Elliott, Driver
What’s Next for Chase Elliott and the Playoff Field
As the Charlotte Roval approaches, Chase Elliott’s experience, strategic outlook, and focus position him as a key contender. His insights highlight the importance of adaptability, mental preparation, and continued determination as the playoffs march forward. While much of the focus remains on the weekend’s race, Elliott and his fellow drivers recognize that the narrative can shift quickly as the series heads to subsequent rounds and new challenges, with both road courses and ovals offering their own sets of complexities and opportunities.
