Chase Elliott comes from a rich heritage of NASCAR racing. The Elliott name legacy had to be carried forward, and in the past few years, he has shown the world that he can do that. But before he became a Cup Series winner, he was still a young driver learning the ropes.

In 2017, just after completing his rookie season, Elliott sat down with Young & Happy for a hilarious heart-to-heart. The 22-year-old’s responses were just like any other young guy his age. He was asked, “This is a quote that you said when you were signed with Hooters. I’m gonna read it back to you if you don’t mind. You tell me if these are words you said.” 

That’s naughty from Chase Elliott

The hosts then began quoting him, “These are the quotes: ‘Definitely a sponsor I wasn’t going to turn down. That’s for sure. I had a lot of fun with it. They’re certainly a fun group of people. Not just the brand but the group of people they have to work behind the scenes. Easy to work with, great to work with. Had a lot of fun. Got to stare, I didn’t get to eat but I got to stare at a lot of chicken wings yesterday.'”

This is where things started getting a little R-rated. The hosts asked Elliott cheekily, “You talking about chicken wings, man?” But the driver was quick to respond, “Chicken wings, man,” with a wide smile on his face.

He then started justifying his words. “I mean I like females. I’m not gonna lie. I’m a fan. We’re pro-females on this show. I’m all about it myself. Whatever floats your boat but I’m all about it. We’re also pro-wings.” One of the hosts said, “But it seems right here that the staring wings, as tasty as they are, maybe aren’t as nice to stare at as a nice Hooters girl.”

“They have some beautiful women at the local Hooters where I live at least. And I’m sure they do everywhere,” said Elliott.

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All the insinuation and innuendo are quite common when it comes to Hooters. No harm done there, Elliott.

Hooters and others continue to trust

Elliott may not have had a rerun of his 2020 Cup Series season in 2022, but that hasn’t affected his marketability one bit for sponsors. The Hendrick Motorsports driver continues to remain one of the best-funded drivers on the track.

While performances are a big barometer for which way sponsors will sway, Elliott’s marketability is one of his biggest plus points in the eyes of corporate offices. The driver won his 5th consecutive Most Popular Driver award in the Cup Series in 2022. That win took his tally of MPD Awards to 7 (as he has won 2 in the Xfinity).

Sponsors continue to throng the doors of HMS for Elliott’s signature. For instance, in 2021 Hooters renewed their partnership with the #9 of Elliott for 3 more seasons.

Moreover, like Dale Earnhardt Jr and Budweiser, or Kyle Busch and M&M, Elliott has come to be associated the most with NAPA Auto Parts. That iconic partnership too was renewed earlier this year in a multi-year contract extension.

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The driver will attempt to finish his next season better—hopefully with the Cup Series championship. Not having to worry about sponsorship is a big plus in that journey.