‘Missed opportunity’: That’s how Chase Elliott will view the result of the Ross & Witmer 255 at Hickory Motor Speedway. The Georgia-based driver has been competing in the ASA STARS National Tour event at the venue every year since its inception in 2023, and with the Coca-Cola 600 on the horizon, the 29-year-old was determined to begin the weekend on a winning note. However, it wasn’t meant to be, with Colby Howard going on to dominate the 255-lap event to secure a Super Late Model victory. But why is this so frustrating for Elliott?

Having gone winless in the Cup Series so far, the pressure was on Elliott to get a result at Hickory Motor Speedway. It seems that he is struggling to set his foot firmly in the highest league of NASCAR. However, the result will have left a bitter taste in his mouth, even though he worked methodically through the field to secure an impressive runner-up finish at the short track.

Chase Elliott is happy to be competitive again

Chase Elliott was looking for redemption going into the ASA STARS National Tour event at Hickory. In the inaugural event at the track, the 29-year-old finished sixth in the race, which was won by Giovanni Ruggiero. Last year, Elliott started in eighth place but was forced to retire early because of mechanical issues. Having finished fifth in SpeedFest at Cordele Motor Speedway, the expectations were high from the Fr8 Racing driver going into ‘The Birthplace of NASCAR Stars.’

But it just didn’t work out. Sharing his thoughts on the race, Chase Elliott candidly said, “We were solid. When it came time to push, to keep pace, I was really needing to work really hard. I just drove over the tires more than I wanted to compared to the first part of the run. I wanted to settle in, but I couldn’t find a great rhythm. We just kept chipping away at it and got it much better today than yesterday (in practice), which was nice. I’m sure (Butcher) would have been really good and hard to beat too, but fun to be in the mix.”

Elliott wasn’t the only former Cup Series champion in attendance at the event. Kevin Harvick was also at Hickory Motor Speedway, serving as grand marshal for the race. In hindsight, the fan favorite driver felt that he had a chance to snatch the victory from Howard and went on to say, “We had a shot at it, and looking back at it, I could have managed my run differently. I debated that in my head. I wanted to try to push and get control of the race and pushed myself out of the race. That’s how it goes sometimes.”

Late in the race, Chase Elliott looked to run Howard down, who was comfortable in the lead. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t close down the margin to make a move and was forced to settle for a second-place finish after sustaining damage on his vehicle’s nose. Despite it all, there are plenty of positives for the 2020 Cup Series champ, who has been very competitive at Cordele and Hickory this year. Could he carry forward that momentum to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600? Time will tell. We just hope that history does not repeat itself. Or should we call it ‘histories’?

Folks, Chase Elliot has a questionable reputation and luck at the Coca-Cola 600 every year. It was in 2023 that he was penalized for wrecking Denny Hamlin intentionally. It was lap 186 when he turned left into Hamlin’s right-rear quarter panel and sent the No. 11 Toyota head-on into the outside SAFER barrier on the front straightaway. This event unfolded after Hamlin squeezed Elliott to brushing the wall at the exit of Turn 4. And, Hendrick Motorsports released a statement saying, “We understand NASCAR’s need to maintain consistency in its officiating. The penalty will not be appealed, and we will submit a formal request for a playoff waiver.” And this was not the only trouble he ran into at the same race.

A similar fate awaited him in the 2020 season of the same race, when Brad Keselowski took advantage of Chase Elliott’s pit stop just before overtime and won the race. But it was not without a fight! Elliott was originally finished 3rd, and Jimmie Johnson finished 2nd. But, post-race inspections led to Johnson’s disqualification, giving Elliott the second-place finish. However, he was not happy with the loss of the lead. But, that day, Elliott said something in the post-race presser.

“Just try again. That’s all you can do. That’s really the only option. I can’t rewind time, so that’s the only choice,” he said with a heavy heart. And it seems he lives by it. But, talking of the ASA STARS race, credit where it’s due, the winner outraced a Cup Series Champion!

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Colby Howard secures first win at Hickory Motor Speedway

Colby Howard had a point to prove. After spending years in the NASCAR Trucks and Xfinity Series, the 23-year-old was reunited with Anthony Campi Racing to compete on short tracks. He succeeded in picking one such win on Thursday night with the ASA STARS at Hickory Motor Speedway. The South Carolina native capitalized on Cole Butcher’s misfortune with 40 laps to go and held off Chase Elliott for the win in the Ross and Witmer 255.

Sharing his thoughts about the win, Howard said, “This is huge. We’ve had some tough races up to this point. We’ve just been off past three or four races. I’m not sure what it was. I went home upset and mad at myself, all this stuff, asking myself if I can do this, and I really locked in this week and focused hard. Me and Cody (Glick) worked hard this week. I did my thing and he did his, and here we are. This is huge and what I need more of to pick up by the end of the year.”

With momentum on his side, Howard will now shift his attention to the Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA STARS National Tour at Newport Speedway. The Food Country USA 300 will take the green flag at 7:30 pm ET, and the former Tricon Garage driver will hope to hit the ground running at ‘Little Bristol.’ Can he make it two wins in a row in the upcoming event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!