Usually in the NASCAR Cup Series, when a driver wins a race, fans are treated to a burnout. However, that was not the case at the Texas Motor Speedway after Chase Elliott finally broke his win drought. The driver of the #9 car was seen driving the full distance of the track in the opposite direction to which he ran the race. It is called a Polish Victory Lap and the 2020 Cup Series champion did it to honor former NASCAR Cup Series champion and legend Alan Kulwicki.

Chase Elliott’s tribute dates back to a 1992 incident

The #9 HMS racer was the one who debuted the Polish Victory Lap, which also came to be known as the Kulwicki Victory Lap when he won his first race at Phoenix. And fast-forward to the post-race press conference at Texas, Chase Elliott revealed that he had been wanting to do it in Hooters colors for a long time. The sponsor is significant because Alan Kulwicki won his only Cup Series championship, with Hooters as one of his main sponsors. He also came from behind to beat Chase’s father Bill Elliott to clinch the title in Atlanta in 1992.

Talking about Hooters’ significance, which has been a Cup Series sponsor since 1991, Elliott talked about his long-time wish to pay respect to Alan Kulwicki.“Honestly one of the coolest parts of the post-race for me, you know Hooters has been a great partner of ours for a number of years now and it’s been a dream to pay respect to Alan Kulwicki doing a Polish victory lap in the Hooters colors and that’s something I have wanted to do for a long time and have just not had the opportunity to do that,” the driver revealed.

Elliott also shared how that exact opportunity came knocking on Sunday after his win at Texas and his exact thought process at that moment. “Came close a few times and as soon as the race was over, I was like, ‘Man, we finally got our opportunity to do it and pay respect to him and the partnership’. Hooters has been around for a long time and to see that whole deal come full circle with his championship run, outrunning my dad and then….they’re now a partner of mine and ended a long winless drought for them and myself too and our team so just, really special in a lot of ways but pretty fitting,” the driver of the #9 car said.

Alan Kulwicki sadly never got a chance to defend his championship since he passed away in 1993 due to an airplane crash. He must have been a big influence on Chase Elliott for him to honor the 1992 champion’s legacy in the very first race he won in more than a year. It was a moment of immense relief for the driver of the #9 car who must have been thirsting for this very moment for several months.

At long last, the #9 car finds its way to Victory Lane

Trending

Christopher Bell Trashes Chase Elliott’s “Helpful” Narrative by Condemning NASCAR’s “Useless” Formality

April 28, 2024 08:40 PM EDT

Struggling Richard Childress Camp Warned of Kyle Busch’s Wrath by HMS Legend

April 27, 2024 06:58 PM EDT

Joe Gibbs Racing President Unravels the Reason Behind Ditching Chevrolet and Joining Forces With Toyota

April 27, 2024 04:33 PM EDT

Michael Jordan Forces Denny Hamlin to Go Against His Deeply Ingrained Belief on Modern Athleticism

April 27, 2024 10:08 PM EDT

“We Don’t Need to Be Friends If You Don’t Like Me” – Natalie Decker Boldly Doubles Down on Her Denny Hamlin Villain Statement (Exclusive)

April 20, 2024 05:43 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NASCAR stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Last season, Elliott suffered a horrible leg injury which saw him out of action for a number of weeks. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was not the same when he came back from injury as he failed to win a single race and did not even make it into the playoffs last year. This year was always going to be one of redemption and the 2020 Cup Series champion has taken one step toward it. With his place booked in the playoffs, a sense of relief was evident on his face as he got out of the car.

“Oh man, it couldn’t feel any better. Couldn’t be any more grateful for this journey and the fact it hasn’t always been fun, but certainly, I have enjoyed working with our guys. We’ve been working really hard and really well together and that’s always been fun. We’ve enjoyed the fight together,” the HMS driver said as per NASCAR.

Chase Elliott will now look to carry this form into the rest of the season and hope for similar results to follow. Will the driver of the #9 car become a 2-time Cup Series champion in 2024? Let us know what you think!