[autotag]Chase Elliott[/autotag] wrecked his No. 9 car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during practice and it created a dire situation for the team. Elliott’s backup car didn’t show much speed as he earned zero stage points and a 32nd-place finish after a penalty. Understandably, the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s chances of advancing to the Championship 4 in the Owners’ Championship took a massive hit.
After Las Vegas, Elliott and the No. 9 team sit a mind-boggling 61 points behind the cut-line as Christopher Bell and the No. 20 team hold the final spot. Despite Bell’s stance below the cut-line as a driver, Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 19 team did not make the Round of 8 due to Elliott sliding his way in during the Round of 12.
CRASH: Chase Elliott.
Elliott hits the wall in practice. He's competing for the owner's championship for the No. 9 team. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Y7s2vbc5Z7
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 14, 2023
Overall, this is a very bad situation for Elliott as his new reality is a must-win situation over the next two weeks at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. There won’t be a reasonable way to make up that many points so the No. 9 team needs to bring its best to secure a Championship 4 spot in 2023.
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