Last weekend’s nail-biting finish on the Indianapolis road course proved to be a watershed moment for the sport’s golden boy, Chase Elliott. After his runner-up finish last Sunday, all eyes have now turned to what the Hendrick Motorsports driver can achieve at Watkins Glen International. In fact, even a NASCAR legend rates him highly over Rick Hendrick’s other driver for the upcoming weekend.

There is no doubt that Elliott’s sterling performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway effectively silenced the chorus of doubters. While he did that, it is imperative that he capitalizes on what would be a do-or-die situation at The Glen.

Rick Hendrick’s driver touted as “The absolute favorite” at The Glen 

Several NASCAR connoisseurs wagered that 2023 might be the maiden season since 2016 when Chase Elliott misses the playoff berth. However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Elliott has emphatically stamped his authority, particularly on the road courses, and is fighting hard to prove them wrong.

A week prior, when predictions for the Indianapolis race were being cast, Steve Letarte, the erstwhile crew chief of Rick Hendrick’s team, voiced his apprehensions. With Elliott lagging 55 points (at that time) behind the qualifying threshold, Letarte surmised both a shortfall in speed and points as impediments to Elliott’s playoff dreams.

Yet, in the wake of the #9 driver’s recent tour de force on the asphalt, Letarte seems to have revised his ledger, acknowledging his earlier oversight. Even so, he gives Elliott a greater shot for the weekend than he does Kyle Larson, who has been consistently strong all season.

“Chase Elliott has yet to win in the next-gen car; this will be his 10th start, but now he has six top-5s. I know he hasn’t won. And I think I am guilty about this last week; I am like, ‘Chase Elliott isn’t what he is.’ He is definitely short on wins, but he runs, dang goodness.”

He further amplified his and everyone else’s belief, stating, “Chase Elliott is the absolute favorite. […] Reddick was good at Indy; Larson- he wasn’t bad; he drove up inside the top-10. I am just thinking back a week; I am trying to decide okay.”

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However, the saga doesn’t end here. A NASCAR titan opined that for Elliott to clinch a win, there might still be a few more mountains to climb.

Former NASCAR driver feels Chase Elliott needs to treat everyone “without respect” in order to win

Kyle Petty, erstwhile NASCAR stalwart and now an astute analyst with NBC Sports, suggested Chase Elliott may need to take the gloves off, blending ruthless intent with tactical precision on the racetrack. In fact, Petty had a clear message for the playoff-fighting drivers while speaking on NBC for NASCAR.

“I don’t think that Chase Elliott, that Alex Bowman, that anybody that’s on that bubble can go in and race with any respect at all. They’ve got to disrespect everybody. William Byron, Kyle Larson can’t just pull over. But when they see that #9 or that #48 coming, if it’s in a win position, they better be ready to get the horn because they’re getting moved out of the way and it’s not going to be respectful,” Kyle Petty said.

NASCAR aficionados, who bleed passion for the sport might also echo this sentiment for Elliott. In any case, anything short of a victory for the 27-year-old would be a disaster. Do you think he could triumph on Sunday, especially over his teammate Kyle Larson? Let us know in the comments below.

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