Chase Elliott’s 2025 season saw him climb to eighth place in the NASCAR Cup Series final standings after a determined playoff run and two long-awaited race wins. Competing for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 9 Chevrolet and led by crew chief Alan Gustafson, Elliott made a strong showing by reaching the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the ninth time in his 10-year Cup career and consistently fighting through the championship rounds.
Strong Start, Intense Finishes Across Multiple Tracks
The Chase Elliott 2025 season began with solid performances and was marked by two major wins and a total of 11 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. Elliott’s most dramatic moment came with a thrilling last-lap pass at EchoPark Speedway in June, where he secured his second career victory at his home track—snapping a 44-race winless drought and electrifying the sold-out crowd. Over the course of the season, Elliott led 454 laps, the most he has managed since 2022, and posted a 12.6 average finish, an impressive result given his less-than-ideal average start position of 16.1.
Playoff Highlights and Narrow Misses
Reaching the playoffs, Elliott powered through with a victory at Kansas Speedway during the Round of 12, while also putting up six top-10 finishes during the 10-race postseason. Despite his efforts, Elliott was eliminated from championship contention after finishing third at Martinsville Speedway—his Hendrick teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson proceeded to the final battle for the title. Elliott rounded out the year by placing tenth at Phoenix Raceway, securing an eighth-place finish in the overall championship.
Notable Performances and Consistency
Beyond the wins, Elliott showed remarkable consistency, matching his 2024 tally of 11 top fives and 19 top 10s. His season included a statistically strong showing at Dover Motor Speedway, where he led 238 out of 407 laps before collecting a sixth-place finish—the most laps led by Elliott since 2022. Highlight stretches of the year featured Elliott stringing together three consecutive top-10s on three separate occasions, notably achieving fifth at New Hampshire, a victory at Kansas, and eighth at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval during the playoffs, demonstrating his versatility across different types of circuits.
Elliott Reflects on His Playoff Approach
Reflecting on his 2025 playoff journey, Elliott explained,
“The way I’ve kind of progressed through the playoffs this year is just to fight as hard as I can each week, try to earn myself and our team three more weeks, and you never know what can happen in three weeks. … That can be the difference in somebody being mediocre to potentially getting on a hot streak or even a team collectively getting better throughout that course of time.”
— Elliott said of his 2025 playoff strategy.
What 2025 Means for Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports
Although Elliott did not capture his second championship, his team, Hendrick Motorsports, celebrated a series-record 15th NASCAR Cup Series championship thanks to the performance of Kyle Larson. Elliott’s pair of victories marked his first multi-win season since 2022, providing valuable momentum and optimism as both he and Alan Gustafson look ahead. With improved lap-leading performance and another final-eight appearance, Elliott continues to cement his role as one of the Cup Series’ premier drivers, racing for a team fully equipped to pursue future titles. As the Chase Elliott 2025 season closes, anticipation builds for what lies ahead for this former champion and his relentless pursuit of a return to the top.
