After the thunderous surprise victory and an electrifying showdown in Indianapolis, the NASCAR Cup Series pivots towards another spectacle: the imminent clash at Watkins Glen. The spotlight shines on none other than the sport’s beloved golden boy, Chase Elliott, as he faces a formidable challenge to secure his coveted playoff spot.

Starting 15th on the grid, he faces the daunting task of winning from a spot outside the top 10 – a feat that hasn’t been achieved in the past nine Cup road course races. However, Elliott’s impressive record at The Glen provides him the edge compared to others. 

Chase Elliott leads the charts for making it big at Watkins Glen International

Chase Elliott, a dual winner at Watkins Glen, is in a precarious position after a roller-coaster 2023 season. A fractured foot sidelined him for a staggering six races, and a race suspension coupled with on-track misfortunes further compounded his troubles. As the clock ticks down, Elliott’s salvation hinges on clinching a victory in one of the final two races.

Sunday’s Watkins Glen race emerges as the prime opportunity for the Hendrick Motorsports driver to reverse his fortunes. Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion, has not missed a playoff berth in the past seven seasons. 

NBC Sports Bet recently posted the statics on their social media with HMS star highly in favor to win at The Glen. The caption read: “The MOST money is on Chase Elliott in a crucial race as the #NASCARPlayoffs swiftly approach. Are you riding with the public?” This comes as 34.4% amount of money is placed on Elliott to enter victory lane on Sunday.

As Chase Briscoe described earlier this month, along with Elliott, many playoff-fighting drivers are bound to get desperate. For the #9 driver, a major concern lies within Rick Hendrick’s team i.e. Kyle Larson. Larson’s record at The Glen has been terrific with the last two wins registered in his name.

The 2021 Cup Series champion sets his sights on an astonishing third consecutive victory at The Glen. Larson’s impressive record isn’t just a footnote; it’s a looming challenge Elliott must overcome.

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The 27-year-old is not helped by the fact that he will be starting at the 15th position on Sunday. Elliott gave a brief idea of what to expect as he remains hopeful despite a poor start to the weekend.

Chase Elliott takes the blame for poor performance in the qualifying race at Watkins Glen International

Given how Chase Elliott is heavily reliant on things to work out at The Glen, the start to the weekend hasn’t turned out in his favor. With him finishing 15th in the qualifying race, it only makes things drastically more difficult for him to overcome. Speaking with FrontStretch on his chances, Elliott takes the blame whilst remaining hopeful of turning this around.

The HMS driver said, To me, this is the opportunity we have the most control over. Didn’t have a very good start on the weekend. Puts you in a tough spot. Nobody’s fault but mine that we’re in the spot we’re in. Hate it. It is what it is. We’ll fight (Sunday) to the last lap and hopefully, something will fall our way,”

While Elliott remains optimistic about his chances, he would require some luck to go all the way on Sunday. Will he be able to overcome his poor start to the weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

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