LEBANON, Tenn. — Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain each have the chance tonight at Nashville Superspeedway to change the narrative that is growing around them.
But they need a victory to do so.
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Until Elliott wins, a countdown will persist over the final 10 races of the regular season focused on if he can claim a playoff spot.
Until Chastain wins, talk will continue to suggest that he’s overcorrected his driving style since Rick Hendrick’s criticism after the Darlington race in May.
Elliott is outside a playoff spot after missing seven of the first 16 races of the season. A snowboarding injury sidelined him six races, and NASCAR suspended him one race for wrecking Denny Hamlin in retaliation during the Coca-Cola 600.
Elliott could win at any of the 10 remaining tracks before the playoffs. He won last year’s race at Nashville. He won last year at Atlanta — where the series races in two weeks. He won last year at Pocono — where the series races in four weeks.
Elliott’s season has had a start-stop feel to it. He ran the first two races, missed the next six. He ran the next six races, missed one and ran one. Elliott has three top 10s in his last four starts, but he’s failed to score a stage point in any of those races.
The sport’s most popular driver already has faced questions about if he can make the playoffs. This year marks the first time in five seasons he’s not had a victory after 16 races. He enters Sunday’s race at Nashville (7 p.m. ET, NBC) well outside a playoff spot. He’s 27th in the standings, 84 points out of the final transfer spot.
“I don’t think we need to push too hard or do anything crazy,” said Elliott, who qualified 14th, of any push to make the playoffs. “I think our approach needs to be the same and just make sure we’re executing the things that we talk about and the things we’re zoned in on.
“No, I don’t think we really need to change anything. But personally, I’m looking forward to it. As bad as the year has been to a lot of people, I feel like it’s kind of fun. We’ve got 10 weeks left, and you either get in the show or you don’t.
“The playoffs are kind of like that. When you get in those last 10, you either have to run well the next week or you go home. So it’s kind of that way now. For me, I kind of enjoy it. I’m kind of looking forward to just the challenge and seeing if we can figure it out.”
Elliott has made it to the title race each of the past three seasons. He’s won four playoffs races in that stretch, so he’s excelled in pressure situations. He’s done it by understanding what to do and what not to do. Those lessons should help him as he seeks to secure a playoff spot.
“We’re in a tough spot, but I think it’s a great opportunity to go and have some fun and embrace the challenge,” Elliott said. “That’s really kind of where my head’s at.”
Questions persist about what Chastain’s mindset when he races. His aggressive style helped him climb NASCAR’s ranks from low-budget Xfinity rides to a premium Cup ride, but that style also has caused problems on the track.
His run-ins with Hamlin seem over after Hamlin wrecked him at Phoenix and they discussed it on pit road after the race. But Chastain was involved in three incidents with Kyle Larson in four races this season, culminating with a crash as they raced for the lead at Darlington.
Larson’s car owner, Rick Hendrick, had enough, saying at Darlington about Chastain’s actions: “If you wreck us, you’re going to get it back.”
Trackhouse Racing car owner Justin Marks talked to Chastain about his driving style afterward. Chastain hasn’t had any controversy since, but has only one top 10 in the three points races since Darlington.
“I’m definitely going to learn from Darlington,” Chastain said. “I don’t want to wreck myself. I want to win races. Whatever I can do to wreck less and win more will definitely be top of mind and priority.
“I take what people say to heart though, especially my boss, my owner. The guy that hires me and guides me. He’s a racer himself, so we’ve talked as just racers and buddies just as much as we’ve talked as owner and driver. People can think what they want. I know what our path is, has been and is currently in what we’re planning, and I’m totally comfortable in the spot we’re in.”
Last year, Chastain used a more measured driving style after multiple incidents with Hamlin, but Chastain later said that inhibited his success and he went back to his aggressive style. That helped him get to the championship race after his video game move on the last lap at Martinsville to secure the final spot in the Championship 4.
Starting on pole and the speed his car had in practice gives him confidence he could be headed for his first victory in more than a year tonight.
“After driving the rocket ship I had (Friday) in practice, my expectations are high,” Chastain said. “We’ll have a shot. We’ll be able to go and … we’ll be able to race throughout (Sunday) night’s race and put ourselves in position.
“Expectations are to go compete. We have fast cars. We have good support. Trying to tie up all the little loose ends. We just want a shot.. that’s it. It’s going to come down to restarts throughout the final stage and adjusting our car throughout the night.
“I feel like that’s been a bit where I struggled. I feel like when we’ve been better throughout the weekend or early in the race, I get kind of complacent because I’m not sure what to tell them. I’m pushing the car; I have good balance. And then somebody nails their balance - it’s been a little bit slower and they’ve nailed it because they kept firing changes at it.
“I’m a little more reserved in my desire – as long as it’s close, I’ll go get the rest. But at this level, at the end of these races, it has to be pretty darn perfect. I feel like we’ve been beat there, so I’ve worked on just mentally, how do I push myself past where I’m comfortable with the car. I feel like I’ve got everything I need to go win.”
