When we talk about NASCAR’s toughest road course competitors, no conversation is complete without the mention of Chase Elliott. However, the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver seems to have been in a slump for some time. Ever since the Next Gen car was introduced in 2022, the #9 has failed to win even one of the ten road course events.

Whether it’s because of the closer racing or a shift in Elliott’s form, the 2021 Cup champion is eager to get back on track toward road course domination with a win at COTA this weekend. Unfortunately, NASCAR’s most popular driver isn’t the favorite for the win anymore.

The #9 HMS crew chief sidelines Chase Elliott to reveal his picks for the COTA win

If you had asked any crew chief a few years ago about who the best road course racer was, most would point to the driver of the #9 HMS Chevy. From 2018 to 2021, NASCAR’s MPD was a constant member of the top five and top ten at over fifteen road course races! Out of all these times, Elliott only finished thrice outside of the top ten and brought in seven wins to move his stats towards the greatest road course Cup driver of all time. Unfortunately, the Next-Gen car just hasn’t suited Elliott.

Elliott’s lackluster form since 2022 has allowed many drivers to solidify their superiority, with drivers such as Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, and perhaps most notably, Michael McDowell, sealing dominant wins. Elliot’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, is well aware of where the team currently stands. He does think the #9 team will soon be getting its deserved finish, but it wasn’t Elliott who was his pick for the upcoming road course crown. According to Gustafson, “If you’re gonna ask me where I’m going with the pick, I’m going with Reddick.“

With that said, Reddick isn’t the only driver that poses a threat to Elliott’s road course status. Gustafson also added another name to that list. He shared, “The way that (Reddick) he ran at COTA last year, and the way that he’s run at all road courses recently in this Next Gen car, I think it’s probably between him and Michael McDowell as far as who is the current best road racer in NASCAR.” 

Although Tyler Reddick is perhaps a safe bet, Gustafson may be making a bold statement with his pick of the #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. Michael McDowell also delivered a dominant road course win last season, leading 54 out of the 82 laps at the Indy Road Course. However, the following races at Watkins Glen and Charlotte Roval were both dismal, despite McDowell leading 17 laps at the former event. While the pendulum could swing either way, Gustafson concluded by sharing another claim, “I think we’ll see our sixth different winner in as many races this season.”

However, after taking a look at the preparation going on behind the doors at 23XI Racing, Chase Elliott and Michael McDowell could both fall short of Tyler Reddick’s dominance.

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Tyler Reddick places all his bets on the new Camry XSE

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While many drivers and teams are gearing up to bring home a road course win to solidify their playoff dreams, Tyler Reddick is on a mission to recreate 2023’s dominance. Not only has the #45 Camry XSE brought home a podium at Vegas this season, but he is also sitting in 5th on the Cup Series standings. Naturally, 23XI Racing is leaving no stone unturned to maintain that momentum.

Tyler Reddick shared via NASCAR, “We are not gonna be able to take what we brought the last time and expect it to do the same. The car’s gonna be different. We got a new Toyota Camry as well.” Reflecting on the new Camry XSE, Reddick shared that the team couldn’t run a similar setup to last year and had to make changes in accordance. While the prospect could be challenging, Reddick is beaming with optimism.

Looking back on last year’s success, the 28-year-old is confident his team has it all under control. He shared, “We were the first to really hit it right. Hopefully, with this new simple diffuser short-track/road-course package, we hit it right first.” 

Since the package at the short tracks and road courses are fairly similar, Reddick believes that his top ten at Phoenix was a good indicator of what’s in store. He concluded, “The other Toyotas were, too, so it would not shock me if a lot of my Toyota teammates were the ones that we’re fighting for this win against.”

With Tyler Reddick believing that the Camry XSE has finally found its footing, will the Old Faithful HMS Camaro help Chase Elliott regain his road course crown?

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