Even the best athletes can lose their edge after a break. Cup Series standout Chase Elliott knows this all too well. Following a snowboarding accident that left him nursing a leg injury, the Hendrick Motorsports driver had to hit pause on racing for a while.

This weekend, Elliott made his much-anticipated return to the track at Martinsville. However, things didn’t quite go as planned. Struggling to regain his top form, Elliott managed a disappointing 24th place in qualifying. Unhappy with the outcome but not demotivated, the talented racer opened up about the challenges he faced in getting back up to speed in an on-track interview.

After racing 37 laps, Chase Elliott discusses the pain level in his leg

When asked about the state of his leg by a FOX Sports journalist, Elliott replied, “Yeah, I actually felt pretty good. I had an abysmal qualifying lap, but I can’t blame my leg on that one. 

“Had a pretty good first lap, but then I really messed up on my second one. So judging off of practice starting in the back is gonna be a lot of fun. So, looking forward to that in the old NAPA Chevy.”

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When asked about any lingering pain in his leg after running 37 laps, Elliott had some positives to share. He emphasized that he had experienced no issues during the entire practice session, saying, “I feel fine in the car. So, like I said, the entire practice round, I felt fine. And, once you get out on the track, you start focussing on the little things you need to be doing, some of that goes away, so that’s a good thing.

“Again, my qualifying lap wasn’t because of that. It was just a poor effort.“

Judging by his spirits, it certainly looks like Elliott is ready to get back in his #9 NAPA Chevy. Let’s see what his sponsor has to say about it all.

Chase Elliott’s sponsor pleased with how HMS managed his absence

In light of Chase Elliott making his comeback this weekend, his primary sponsor NAPA Auto Parts expressed satisfaction with how HMS managed his absence.

Elliott’s absence left NAPA Auto Parts, his long-standing anchor sponsor, without their star driver for over a month. Despite challenges, NAPA, which has backed Elliott for a decade, expressed contentment with how HMS had handled the situation. As per the Sports Business Journal, Kevin Herron, President of Genuine Parts Company (which owns NAPA), remarked that he was “really pleased” with the substitute driver lineup that HMS put in place during those six weeks.

NAPA, holding the majority of primary paint scheme positions on Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevrolet, invests millions in the team annually. Furthermore, team owner Rick Hendrick’s car dealership empire, Hendrick Automotive Group, is engaged in a B2B relationship with NAPA, sourcing parts from them. As a result, during Elliott’s absence, HMS likely focused on ensuring smooth operations. It is undoubtedly a welcome sight to have Elliott back on track this weekend.

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