“I don't want it to feel gimmicky”: Chase Elliott drops fierce verdict on Bristol’s tire wear race

Chase Elliott praised NASCAR’s move to introduce softer right-side tires at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend. While he acknowledged the change produced an entertaining, high-wear race, he cautioned that future adjustments shouldn’t come across as gimmicks—stressing that he wants NASCAR to prioritize authentic competition over manufactured entertainment.

Elliott’s night, however, was cut short after starting 16th. On lap 311, he made contact with John Hunter Nemechek in turn three, sending his #9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet into the wall and ending his race with heavy front-end damage.

The win ultimately went to Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, who held off Brad Keselowski and Zane Smith at the finish. Much of the buzz from the weekend centered on how the softer tires shaped the racing—high wear created diverse strategies, while the buildup of marbles up top pushed drivers to battle for position in the bottom lane.

Speaking about the tire wear and the future of the sport, the 29-year-old Dawsonville native told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio:

“Look, I applaud everybody involved for kind of attacking that science experiment with the tire and trying to make it do something cool and different, and replicate a race that no one really understood why it happened.” “I think that there are always ways to tweak and help, and make it better. I'm not sure what the right balance is, but it's always important to try and make the product as best as we can. I just don't want it to feel gimmicky,” he added.

Despite settling with a DNF, Chase Elliott managed to advance to the Round of 12 while retaining a five-point cushion above the playoff cutline in seventh. Bubba Wallace (+1) trails him in eighth, with Austin Cindric (-1), Joey Logano (-2), Ross Chastain (-2), and Tyler Reddick (-3) sitting in the elimination zone.

The Round of 12 will kick off at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. The other races scheduled for this round are the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

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“Got really lucky”: Chase Elliott on advancing to Round of 12 after DNF at Bristol

Chase Elliott admitted he was lucky to still be alive in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs despite a DNF in the elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He felt the #9 Hendrick Motorsports team didn’t deserve to advance, but said he’ll give it everything he’s got in the next couple of races.

The 2020 NASCAR champion told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (via NBC Sports):

“It worked out, fortunately. Got really lucky with that, no question.” “I just feel like, yeah, you’re kind of in a spot where, ‘Man, we really didn’t deserve to be here based on the week before, let’s go and make the very most of it.’”

Chase Elliott drives the #9 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports - Source: Imagn

Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, and Josh Berry were the drivers eliminated after the Bristol night race. Elliott advanced to the Round of 12 along with Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson.

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Edited by Zarec Sanchez