At 24 years of age, Chase Elliott is already one of the top drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. In a still-young career, many have argued that Elliott had it easier than many others, given the NASCAR legacy of his father, Bill Elliott, who is a Hall of Famer. However, that legacy is challenging to live up to, and Elliott has been doing a good job so far.

Elliott recently spoke about how that passion for racing started in the first place. His father was at the peak of the NASCAR circuit, and Chase aimed to earn a similar status one day.

“My dad was one of the stars of the show. And I thought that was the absolute coolest thing ever,” Elliott said during a recent interview.

“Those moments were the ones where I was like, ‘Dang, I want to do that.'”

Get the Lucky Dog on Track Newsletter. No-filter NASCAR in your inbox — exclusive driver access, pit lane coverage, and unfiltered commentary.

How Chase Elliott kept his focus intact

While Elliott started exploring the racing world very early, there was a lot he was missing out on in his personal life. At the same time, Elliott set goals very early in his life and understood the importance of working relentlessly to achieve them. He knew he was doing something not many have the chance to do.

“I do feel like I came to those crossroads. And there were weekends where there were proms or middle school dances and I wished I was there a little bit. But at the end of the day, I reminded myself I’m getting to do things that some people could only dream of,” Elliott explained.

Chase then received an important piece of advice from Bill. Granted, his father’s support and advice were always available, but Bill believed it was still up to Chase to prove himself.

What Bill Elliott always told his son

“I always kept that in mind. And my dad always told me, ‘I can only get you so far in this deal. If we’re good enough and we run (well) enough, opportunities may come along. If we don’t, we can go do something else and nobody’s going to be mad at anybody for it’,” Chase said further, highlighting his father’s support.

Chase now aims to turn his years of focus into a maiden Cup title. He has made the Round of 8 in each playoff appearance, but a ‘championship 4’ berth still awaits.

Read more – Can Chase Elliott Make Use of His Supremacy on Speed as He Aims for Maiden NASCAR Cup Series Title?