Chase Elliott Reveals His Biggest Racing Rival With Heartbreaking 3-Word Admission

2023 has been rough on Chase Elliott. A first non-playoff campaign worsened his season, which was already marred by a tibia injury and a suspension. However, as the 2024 season inches closer, it gives the 6-time Most Popular Driver award winner a chance to redeem his status among the sport’s best. Elliott has had a relatively quiet off-season and has secured essential sponsorships for 2024.

Among the sponsors, Llumar Films has extended its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports for a fifth year running and will back the No.9 in two races every season until 2026. Fulfilling the promotional requirements for Llumar, Chase Elliott answered some quick questions from the NASCAR fandom. One of the questions enquired about his biggest opponent in racing currently, and Chase’s answer will surprise you.

The expectations have always been high for the 2020 Cup Series champion. Being one of the most consistent and successful drivers in the past few years, the pressure of performing up to them has been immense. While the competition in the Cup Series has been more intense than ever, Chase Elliott believes the No.9 team’s current goal should be improving its performance.

Answering the question about his current biggest rival, Elliott said, “Currently, it’s been ourselves, needing to clean up a lot of things and go faster. So if we can do that, I think the rest will take care of itself.”

The drawbacks Elliott face in 2023 has certainly made an impact on his performance. Facing an unprecedented hardship has made him his biggest critic. The 28-year-old had also opened up about his struggle with a shoulder injury he sustained earlier. Revealing the recurring condition, he said,

“I had a little procedure on my shoulder. I had an old injury that I needed to get tended to, and obviously, the offseason is a much better time to do that than my last surgery.”

However, an unrewarding season has yet to demotivate Chase Elliott’s sponsors to seem to be showing full confidence in the driver’s 2024 prospects. Following the renewal announcements with NAPA Auto Parts and Kelley Blue Book, Llumar Films has also confirmed its backing in a multi-year deal.