When efficiency wanes or is less than normal, Cup Collection groups are likely to finally flip to the mode of attempting to repair what’s flawed – and plenty of occasions that features a change in personnel.
When Elliott – the game’s hottest driver – ended his 42-race winless streak on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, he did so with a lot of the identical No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports staff that was in place when his drought started late within the 2022 season.
Since then, it’s not as if Elliott instantly drove poorly, however the staff was confronted with a pair of great setbacks. It misplaced its driver twice – as soon as for a number of weeks on account of a leg damage and one race on account of a NASCAR suspension.
Upon his return, the as soon as robotic-like consistency of the No. 9 staff appeared to turn out to be a bit extra haphazard.
Over the winless stretch, there have been occasions Elliott contended for wins, however there have been additionally occasions when the staff didn’t seem like it was on the similar degree with a few of its largest rivals, and even its personal Hendrick teammates.
“I really feel like he’s carried out very well. I believe it is simply generally you may get in just a little little bit of a gap. You simply should battle, proper?” mentioned Elliott’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson. “That’s the most important factor I’m most happy with him and the staff for, is simply persevering with to battle by way of it, make it occur.
“It’s tremendous cliché and tacky, however you simply by no means hand over. You study that in the event you don’t hand over, finally issues are going to show round.”
For Elliott, that appeared very true this season heading into the Texas race.
Hendrick Motorsports has been operating significantly sturdy as a company to start out the 12 months and though he didn’t have a win but, Elliott had three prime 10 finishes in his earlier 4 races, together with consecutive prime fives at Richmond and Martinsville.
In truth, at Martinsville, Elliott led a season-high 64 laps and was within the hunt for the win to the tip of the race earlier than ending up third.
No matter he and his staff wanted to place themselves again in competition for wins regularly appeared to be coming collectively.
Race winner Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro
Picture by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photos
“I really feel like typically talking from a aggressive standpoint we’ve been higher to the competitors all through actually many of the season, we simply haven’t at all times had nice finishes and nice outcomes,” Elliott, 28, mentioned.
“It’s important to be within the combine. You bought to be up entrance to even have issues go your means. We have been shut sufficient to try this. We nonetheless wish to be higher. I believe we have now room for enchancment. Simply happy with the way in which all the pieces labored out.
“It’s much more enjoyable if you’re preventing for wins and up-front battling, whether or not it goes your means or doesn’t go your means. Simply to have a shot is fulfilling.”
Maybe extra fulfilling, nevertheless, is battling by way of the troublesome occasions as a staff whereas rediscovering the profitable kind to which you’re accustomed.
“I’ve simply been actually happy with our group for sticking collectively as a result of I’m certain quite a lot of you guys have been across the sport lengthy sufficient to know and know that when you’ve a pair unhealthy years, a time frame that issues aren’t going properly, it’s so straightforward to leap ship and to start out bailing out on each other,” Elliott mentioned.
“I believe that the win’s nice, all that stuff is improbable, however I’m in truth most happy with the journey and the group of people who we have now climbed again up along with. We’ve made one another higher.
“They push me to be a greater driver and a greater individual.”
Gustafson mentioned as a result of Elliott has loved a lot success at a younger age – together with profitable a championship – it’s straightforward to neglect he’s nonetheless somebody studying and maturing.
“He’s a younger child. It’s important to study you simply should grind by way of it,” Gustafson mentioned. “William Byron, as a lot as I like him and Rudy (Fugle, Byron’s crew chief), they’re not at all times going to be on the prime, proper? It’s simply not going to occur. All people goes by way of ebbs and flows.
“Whoever you wish to name profitable, (Martin) Truex Jr., Denny (Hamlin), Kyle (Larson), Kyle Busch – everyone has these ups and downs. I believe simply having the power to battle by way of it and persevere is vital, and he’s performed that.”
