Two days shy of possibly winning his 6th Most Popular Driver award, Chase Elliott turned 28. Elliott’s five previous wins would only come as a surprise to those unaware of his racing legacy and bestowed popularity. He is, after all, the son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott, who won 16 MPD awards in his own time. But in 1995, Elliott Sr was conspicuously absent from collecting his 10th award.

28 years after the missed ceremony, the touching reason has been brought to light. The 1988 Cup Series champion was blessed with a future star a few days before the reception. That was the year when Hendrick Motorsports’ #9 driver came into the life of Cindy and Bill Elliott.

Bill Elliott was excused from awards for ‘changing diapers’ 

“Your babies are always your babies”, Cindy Elliott, mother of Chase Elliott, told NBC Sports a year ago. The usually stoic Bill Elliott also felt nostalgic as he recalled his six-year-old son celebrating his checkered victories. “It’s how fast things go. I’m in Victory Lane at Indy in 2002 and now here you are 20 years later and here he is grown and doing his own thing.” The roles were reversed when Elliott Sr retired and cheered his son from the sidelines, each win giving him far more joy than any of his own accomplishments.

But he couldn’t help remembering the little kid learning the ropes on one of his first race cars. “I still think the most fun times we had together are the things we did when we lived in Colorado and he was go-kart racing out there. It was just kind of a great time. I think it was a fun series we ran. There wasn’t a lot of pressure. I kind of still see him in that.” When he first received the news of his son’s arrival, Bill Elliott prioritized his newborn over any other commitments, including his Most Popular Driver Award ceremony.

In a post shared on social media, Bill Elliott’s absence was remarked upon, but it was theorized. “He was home in Georgia, maybe changing diapers,” read the tweet that included a newspaper clipping talking about Bill’s no-show at that year’s award ceremony. Because Bill and Cindy Elliott had birthed a “seven-pound, three-ounce boy”. It further read, “The baby has been named William Clyde Elliott Jr., and appropriately nicknamed “Chase”.”

Watch this story: Will Chase Elliott’s Reign Continue? The NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award Unveiling!

28 years have passed since that incident and Chase has come a long way. From being on the sidelines cheering for his father to now being cheered upon, Chase Elliott is living his childhood dream. However,even his parents had not imagined his meteoric rise at Hendrick Motorsports, who consider the 5-time MPD award winner a valuable member of the team.

Team of Hendrick Motorsports wishes Chase Elliott on his 28th birthday

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By the time Chase Elliott turned 20, the racer had already won a Nationwide championship and was ready to move to the Cup Series. Later that year, Cindy Elliott disclosed her son always wanted to be a racer, but she had privately hoped he would pick up the gold clubs when he was little. But Chase Elliott was meant to pilot a car past the finish line and Rick Hendrick agreed.

Dismissing questions about his lack of experience, the HMS owner gleaned maturity beyond his years and moved him up to the Cup Series in 2016. “I think he’s going to win a race and I think he has a really good shot at making the Chase – that’s how confident I am. I would never put him in the car if I didn’t think he could do it,” Hendrick was quoted in motorsport.com.

True to his prediction, Elliott became the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner and qualified for the playoffs in his rookie year. Seven years later, he has amassed 18 Cup wins and the 2020 championship. Here’s wishing the beloved driver a very Happy Birthday!

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