Chase Elliott Snubbed By His Own Family Naming HMS Young Gun for Cup Glory

Chase Elliott’s 2025 Cup Series campaign isn’t about stealing the show with raw speed; it’s about playing the long game, and he’s doing it like a pro. After missing the playoffs entirely in 2023, Elliott roared back last year, reminding everyone why he’s a former champ.

This season, he’s doubled down on that steady vibe: avoid wrecks, pile up top-10s, and keep the points ticking. He may not match the blistering pace of Hendrick teammates Kyle Larson or William Byron, but with a series-best average finish of 11.96 through 26 races, one win, seven top-fives, and 13 top-10s, Elliott’s reliability is his superpower.

But here’s the kicker: even with all that, Elliott’s own uncle, Dan Elliott, didn’t pick him as a top contender for the 2025 Cup title. On the Five to Go Podcast with Devin Kupka, Dan threw his weight behind another Hendrick star and a wild card instead, leaving Chase’s name out of the conversation entirely. It’s a bold snub for a driver who’s been as consistent as anyone, and fans are scratching their heads over why a family isn’t backing their own.

Dan Elliott wants Byron to win

When Devin Kupka asked Dan Elliott for his top picks to win the 2025 Cup Series, Chase’s uncle didn’t hesitate, but his choices raised eyebrows. “If I were picking somebody consistently more so I probably still got to go with Byron,” Dan said. It’s a nod to William Byron’s rock-solid form. Byron’s 2023 breakout, six wins and the best average finish in the series, set a high bar, and he’s carried that momentum into 2024-25 with regular top-10s and lap-leading runs.

Compared to Denny Hamlin, who has stumbled in playoffs with gaffes like a 2021 Martinsville pit penalty or late-race misses at Phoenix in 2020 and 2022, Byron’s knack for avoiding drama makes him a safer bet in Dan’s eyes. Chase’s consistency mirrors Byron’s, so the snub stings a bit.

Dan didn’t stop there, throwing out a wild card, “I’d love to see SVG win it, only to see the media, fans, and other organizations go berserk.” Shane van Gisbergen’s 2023 Chicago Street Race win on his Cup debut shook the sport, a feat not seen since Johnny Rutherford in 1963. SVG has since shown he’s no one-trick pony, racking up Xfinity wins and holding his own on ovals. Dan’s joking that an SVG title would have fans “needing therapy,” but he’s not wrong. It would be a seismic upset, flipping NASCAR’s order and making headlines for years.

He doubled down on the underdog vibe, “I’d love to say it’s going to be a wild card… I think if SVG could pull it off, it would be a major upset.” NASCAR’s seen long shots shine, Ryan Newman’s winless 2014 Championship 4 run or Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” at Martinsville in 2022, but SVG winning in his second year would top them all. Dan’s betting on chaos over Chase’s steady hand, a surprising call for family.

Chase Elliott’s chill playoff mindset

As the 2025 Cup playoffs kick off with the Southern 500 at Darlington, Chase Elliott’s bringing a new vibe: loose, carefree, and ready to roll. Unlike past years, where nerves about advancing through the four playoff rounds had him on edge, the 30-year-old is in a groove. A 2020 champ with nine playoff appearances in 10 full-time seasons, Elliott’s in his prime, and he’s acting like it.

At NASCAR Cup Media Day in Charlotte, he sat down with The Teardown’s Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, fielding a quirky question about choosing between double payouts, triple off-weekends, or quadruple Porta-Potties on pit road. Elliott went with tripling off-weekends, saying, “Increasing the off-weekends for everyone, and I think it would be a win for everyone and make people hungrier for what we have and what we do. So I think it’ll be a healthy thing.”

He’s got a point. 2025’s brutal 36-race schedule had just one off-weekend, grinding everyone down. Next year’s two off-weekends will help, but Elliott’s focus on balance shows he’s not sweating the small stuff. Even with his uncle picking Byron and SVG over him, Elliott’s locked in, ready to let his consistency and Hendrick power carry him deep. The snub might sting, but it’s not slowing him down. He’s hunting that second title with a cool head and a hot streak.