As the NASCAR regular season nears its end, the pressure is mounting for drivers to secure a spot in the playoffs. With only four races left on the 26-race regular season schedule, Hendrick Motorsports Chase Elliott, who is now in 20th position in the point standings, is 40 points below the NASCAR Cup Series playoff cut line, partly because he has missed seven of the season’s races.

Out of the seven races he missed, he faced a one-race suspension for a collision with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Other misses were accounted for by a fractured left tibia sustained in a snowboarding accident. However, NASCAR analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr has a glimmer of hope for Elliott, but it comes with a condition.

Dale Earnhardt Jr weighs out the odds of a playoff spot for Chase Elliott

Dale Earnhardt Jr, in his podcast, expressed his concern about Chase Elliott’s chances to point his way into the playoffs, especially after a few disappointing races that left him 56 points below the cutline. While the gap has narrowed to 40 points, the road ahead remains challenging. Earnhardt believes Elliott will need consistent gains of 15 to 20 points every week.

It is a daunting task, considering he is competing not just against the cut line but against a field of skilled drivers with varying results. He mentioned, “He’s not racing just one person. He’s not racing just the cut line. He’s racing all these different drivers right, and they’re going to also have varying results that are going to make that complicated for Chase.”

Earnhardt’s assessment raised questions about the traditional approach of focusing solely on finishing order. In the era of stage points, understanding the significance of a 40-point deficit becomes more complex. He emphasized, “Chase is good enough. The team’s good enough to get 40 points back and point the way in. But it’s gonna have to go just right, sorry jumping back on the wagon or you staying off.”

The stage points have added a new dimension to the sport, making it harder to gauge a driver’s position based on just the finishing order. He mentioned, “finishing order does not matter anymore. That only matters to the guy who won the race.”

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Chase Elliott is a stickler for the old ways of racing

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Despite the odds stacked against him, Chase Elliott remains undeterred. The setbacks he faced earlier in the season, including an injury and suspension, pushed him far below the playoff cutline. But Elliott’s determination to secure victories and contend for the championship remains unwavering.

“My thought process since all this has happened is that we are going to have to win,” Elliott said during a Friday press conference.

Elliott’s approach aligns with Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon’s philosophy. While making the playoffs on points is acceptable, the ultimate goal is to win races and make a deep run in the playoffs. Elliott finds joy in the challenge of fighting for points and consistency, reminiscent of the old days of racing, where every week’s performance mattered significantly in the postseason qualification.

Elliot emphasized, “It’s just riding the wave” and “It’s like my dad has said over the years – ‘You just have to ride the wave and continue to put the work in, and it will work itself out.’”

As the NASCAR season heads towards its climax, all eyes are on Chase Elliott. Winning is the priority, and he is determined to keep chipping away at the points gap. But one thing is clear – Chase Elliott’s spirit and determination are far from waning. As he rides the wave of this unpredictable season, the question remains – can he defy the odds and secure his spot?

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