Chase Elliott had a forgettable 2023 season after missing out on the 2023 playoffs. While his struggles continued, he and Hendrick Motorsports decided to part ways with his spotter, Eddie D’Hondt, in December last year. Elliott’s cousin, Trey Poole, will be his spotter for the 2024 campaign.

At the same time, Eddie D’Hondt has joined Josh Berry at Stewart-Haas Racing. He will be guiding Berry in the Tennessee-born driver’s first full-time Cup Series season. While he does that, Elliott explains the actual reason behind the departure of D’Hondt. Recently, the Georgia-born driver spoke in detail with Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass about the spotter changes.

Chase Elliott brings clarity to Hendrick Motorsports parting ways with Eddie D’Hondt

After 468 races, 26 wins, and a championship to his name, Eddie D’Hondt left Hendrick Motorsports for the 2024 campaign. It was indeed a wild run in his 12-year stint with the Cup Series giants. In the process, he had the luxury of being the spotter for both Jeff Gordon and Chase Elliott. The partnership registered 18 wins, including a championship victory in 2020.

Speaking about how changing the spotter was a collective decision at Rick Hendrick’s camp, Elliott said, “We just got to a point where we felt like if we were going to make a change, now was the right time to do it.” However, his love and respect for D’Hondt remain the same. He said, “Ed’s been a great teammate, I love Ed. We still have a good relationship even today.”

He continued, “He’s been a huge part of our team for a long time. I don’t want that to get lost in translation. I think a lot of him as a person, and he’s done a lot for me.” The spotter change is not just a new phenomenon for Elliott this season, but also for 2023 championship winner Ryan Blaney. Kevin Harvick’s spotter Tim Fedewa joins the Team Penske driver.

On the other hand, Josh Berry will be blessed with the experience and knowledge of D’Hondt for the upcoming campaign. Having said that, Chase Elliott has no regrets as he felt this was the right time to make a change. He said, “This is year nine, right? It’s like if you’re going to make a transition or try something different, it just kind of felt like now was the time to do it.”

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Chase Elliott strongly believes his cousin Trey Poole can do the job D’Hondt performed so well in the past. He said, “Trey had kind of been our No. 2 spotter for the past number of years and we just felt like, of what was out there, that was the right fit, and it was the right choice for our team and ultimately, just trying to perform at our very best.” While the change in spotter is a new change for Elliott, he has a few other challenges to overcome.

Chase Elliott opens up about his struggle with rehabbing injuries over the last year

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The year 2023 witnessed Chase Elliott missing out on six races solely through a snowboarding injury. In the process, his left leg, just below his knee, was severely damaged. After undergoing surgery in a couple of areas, Elliott explained his experience.

He said, “The knee was definitely worse, just way more complex of an injury. But the rehab aspect of it? The shoulder, it’s been no joke, too. But the procedure itself, the shoulder was very simple and straightforward. My knee was not. There’s definitely aspects of [the rehab] that are painful and not fun.”

However, Elliott’s challenges are not yet completely over. He explained, “Just trying to get your range of motion back and get things loosened back up again, is just difficult. Shoulders are kind of tricky. I didn’t realize just how many awkward ways you use your shoulder. But I’ve learned more about shoulders and knees in the past year than I’ve cared to know about.”

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With the #9 driver set to participate in the Busch Light Clash, it is interesting to see how he performs. Also, Trey Poole’s first race as his full-time spotter will turn out to be an interesting watch at the LA Coliseum.