Jeff Gordon, vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, recently voiced optimism about the future of Chase Elliott’s NASCAR championship hopes following a season filled with high points and intense competition. Addressing Elliott’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series campaign, Gordon highlighted progress and momentum that suggest a strong return to championship contention in 2026.
Analyzing Elliott’s Performance and Stats in 2025
Throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chase Elliott delivered a series of solid results that closely mirrored his performance from the previous year, including 19 top-10 and 11 top-five finishes. Although these numbers did not surpass his earlier seasons, the latter half of the campaign saw Elliott showing signs of regaining his competitive edge. Key figures within Hendrick Motorsports believe this resurgence points toward a more formidable championship push in the coming year.
One pivotal moment came during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Despite having already been eliminated from the championship hunt, Elliott led for 30 laps and finished 10th. The result caught Gordon’s eye as evidence of Elliott’s growth and perseverance.
“When you put a race like that together, and you do that over enough races, it builds confidence,”
Jeff Gordon told ESPN’s Kelly Crandall.
“And when you have the final race of the season go like that, even though you’re not in the championship hunt, you build on that over the offseason.”
— Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman, Hendrick Motorsports
Comparisons With Teammates and the Road Ahead
Notably, Gordon observed that Elliott outperformed both William Byron and Kyle Larson in that crucial Phoenix race, even though they advanced further in the playoffs. This ability to excel under challenging circumstances is another reason Gordon and the Hendrick leadership remain confident about Elliott’s trajectory. While his win total over the last two seasons stands at three—far below the 18 victories earned from 2018 to 2022—Elliott’s presence continues to grow more commanding within the team.
Strong Playoff Performance and Determined Mindset
Elliott qualified for the Cup Series Playoffs for the ninth time in a decade, a testament to his consistency and resilience. He managed six top-10 finishes throughout the 10-race postseason stretch and celebrated a significant victory at Kansas Speedway during the Round of 12. Elliott’s playoff run ultimately concluded in the Round of 8 with a third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, narrowly missing a shot at the championship finale.
Reflecting on these challenges and achievements, Elliott said,
“I thought we were getting closer, for sure,”
— Chase Elliott, Driver, Hendrick Motorsports. He continued, noting the difficulty in meeting the high expectations set for himself and the team:
“It’s more about putting yourself in position consistently and every week than it is the actual win. You’re going to get your turn. You will get your opportunity. It’s not always going to work out for you. … But if you put yourself there often enough, it will, and that’s more of what I want to see and what our definition of being in form is.”
— Chase Elliott, Driver, Hendrick Motorsports
Shifting Attitudes and a Strengthening Team Dynamic
As 2025 concluded, Gordon noticed a maturation in Elliott’s approach, crediting the driver with deeper engagement and stronger leadership qualities on a daily basis.
“More engaged, stepping in, elevating the team, the information he’s bringing and really feeling like this is home for him,”
Gordon remarked, reinforcing the idea of Elliott’s increasing authority as a ‘franchise guy’ within the organization.
Elliott’s collaboration with crew chief Alan Gustafson has also been cited as a crucial asset to the team’s revival.
“He and Alan [Gustafson] have a very powerful relationship. Alan is an incredibly talented guy, and I think sometimes it just takes getting all the right pieces in place at the right times. But I was very impressed with what they did last year. I think it was a new look and perspective of their commitment to one another, to what they need to do, the details of what it takes to push yourself, push the cars and what our competitors are doing.”
— Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman, Hendrick Motorsports
Outlook for 2026 and the Rising Potential of Chase Elliott
Heading toward the 2026 season, Jeff Gordon’s sentiments and Elliott’s evolving mindset have given Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR fans reason to anticipate even stronger performances. The combination of perseverance, consistency, and renewed drive has forged a firm foundation for the No. 9 car’s next championship bid. With renewed optimism and strengthened internal dynamics, Chase Elliott’s NASCAR championship hopes remain a central story for the upcoming year, setting the stage for a potentially defining season in his career.
