The Next Chapter in the Dawsonville Gang
So tell me if this sounds familiar? A young man from small town in north Georgia, has come up the ranks in Nascar's major series. Well you would be right, one William Clyde Elliot II or Chase for short has followed in his hall of fame father's footsteps. I've decided as a new writer and fan to do an article over one driver's career and story as to how they are where they are once a week until I get all the full time cup series driver covered. As if you couldn't have guessed it this article is going to be over Chase Elliott and his rises, and falls.
On November 28, 1995 one of the future premier drivers in the sport of Nascar was born. William Clyde Elliott II was born to William Clyde Elliott and Cindy Elliott. The full names may not be as familiar to some fans as it is to others so let me give you the notable names. Chase Elliott is the son to Hall of Fame Nascar driver Bill Elliott. The Elliott name has a huge pedigree in the sport of stock car racing with Chase looking to add on to it. Grandfather George, fielded a short track team in the early 1960's to also fielding some vehicles in the premier series from 1966 to 1974. Along the way three soon to be legends in the sport were born. Ernie Elliott had a knack for building engines, Dan could build transmissions and well Bill has a knack for driving the contraptions of the vehicles his brothers built. Bill and his brothers would go onto accomplish things such as series Champion in 1988, winners of the "Winston Million" and multiple victories throughout the series and years. Where does the next chapter in the "Dawsonville Gang" that contained the likes of drivers such as Gober Sosebee, Roy Hall, Llyod Seay, Benard Long. Well it lies with the youngster who is piloting the famous number nine Chevrolet; Chase Elliott.
Chase began his journey to the premier series at the age of eight when he started racing go karts on short tracks in north Georgia. Later on after dominating at a young age he moved on up to late models and by age sixteen had dominated against some of the best short trackers in the nation. In 2011 Chase won seven races on his way to a National Championship title in the Champion Racing Associating which is a division of ARCA. In 2011 he signed a driver developmental deal with Hendrick Motorsports and made his full time debut in the K&N East Series.
Chase began winning soon after signing his deal with Hendricks. Just a short year later he captured his first win at Iowa Speedway. 2013 would be the year his dominance really began to show. At Pocono, he became the youngest winner at just 17 year of age to win at the speedway. Chase never captured a championship in the K&N east series. In 2013 it was announced he would also compete in the truck series, and then went on to capture his first pole in the series at the "Last Great Coliseum" Bristol. Along with that he was the youngest winner in history of the Nascar national series when he "bumped" fellow young gun Tye Dillon out the way to claim the inaugural race at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Which caused Dillon to say the next time they raced each other "he wont finish the race."
After his fun and competition in the truck series in 2014 it was announced once again the youngster from Dawsonville would be competing full time in the Xfinity series in the family number nine car with NAPA as the sponsor. In his rookie year alone he held off the likes of Kyle Bush and Kevin Harvick for three wins and two poles throughout the year. Later in the year the young Elliot would go onto clinch the series championship by fifty or so points over his JR motorsports teammate Regan Smith. That clinch of the title would make Chase the youngest series champion ever in the national series history. Later that year along with clinching the championship he would go onto receive the series most popular driver award. In his second year in the Xfinity series it was also announce that Hendrick motorsports would run the numer twenty five Chevrolet SS on a limited schedule so Chase could start to gather some experience racing with the best of the best. The first start in the premier series was very lack luster, with a 38th place finish at Martinsville. Chase finished his five race stint in the cup series with an average finish two positions less than his average starting position with a average 26th place finish. To add onto that Chases second full time year in the Xfinity series was almost as stellar as his first. He received his first DNF at Daytona and went onto battle Chris Buescher for the championship, but unfortunately finished second in the championship race. His year didn't end so horribly though 2015 was Chase's first year receiving the honor of being in Sports Pro Magazine as one of the top 50 most marketable athletes. After finishing the season Chase was off to take over arguably one of the most iconic numbers in Nascar history Jeff Gordon's #24 car.
The rookie campaigne started off as about as great as any rookie could want. With claiming the pole position in his very first Daytona 500. Unfortunately after getting loose on lap eighteen he slid into the front stretch grass and damaged the car, leading to a 38th position finishing spot. Later on in the year an unfortunate rookie mistake at Michigan would cost him the lead and the chance at the win. Chase was very hard on himself after the race saying he had missed a shift and it was all on him. Chase would go onto lead once again that season but a late race caution wiped out his lead over Martin Truex and caused him to finish 3rd. Chase went on to win two pole awards and lead 358 laps through out the year. In his rookie year, Chase made the playoffs and averaged a 14th place finishing spot. Chase was on pace to break through his second year after a very good start to career. Chase would receive the rookie of the year award for his efforts.
The start of the 2017 season once again started off as great as one driver could ask for with a second straight pole award at Daytona. Then not only that, but one of the Cam Am duels. Chase became the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1996 to accomplish that unfortunately his great start wouldnt hold up to the big race. Chase winded up finishing 14th with Kurt Bush winning the race. Chase would go onto finish second at Michigan for the third consecutive race in 2017. Along with two more very talked about races. Chase was leading at Dover with fifty laps to go and a four second lead, sadly once again his hopes were dashed by a veteran Kyle Bush, and would go onto finish second. The next was the fall race at Martinsville, after Kyle Bush got knocked outta the way Elliott won the second stage and then would go onto take the lead from Brad Keselowski late in the race. Some very unfortunate and possibly as some called "dirty" racing Chase lost another oppertunity because of Denny Hamlin driving straight into the back of the 24 car with three to go and causing Chase to wreck. Chase would go onto say after the race, "He's (Hamlin) not even worth my time...We had a good opportunity I can't control his decisions whatever and the hell that was onto Texas." Chase would then receive a public apology on twitter from Hamlin, but bad blood was still there for sure. The last race before the final four raced at Homestead was Phoenix were Chase was in a must win situation, and raced Hamlin a little to hard for Hamlin's likings causing him to cut a tire and hit the wall. Sadly, once again another Toyota driving veteran in Matt Keneseth would go onto dash the hopes of the hendricks driver taking the lead from him and never looking back. Chase would be elimated from the playoffs and would go onto finish fifth in the series standings for the year. After an unfortunate stent of luck late in the year, Chase once again finished second to someone else but rightfully to a legend in his own. Chase finished second in the most popular driver vote to one Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earlier this year in was announced that Chase would be switching numbers to start the 2018 season.
Chase was able finally after convincing Mr. Hendrick able to get himself back into the car that his dad made famous the number nine. Chase rolled the nine back onto the track at Daytona posting a ninth qualifying effort to begin with but after going onto win his second duel of the year he would start 4th. Chase unfortunately would be caught in the "big one" and defiantly wouldn't finish where he wanted to in 33rd. With the the new car being brought into the series, all Chevrolet drivers are struggling to adapt and learn to adjust the new cars. Chase has only finished in the top twenty three outta the five races so far. With the hopes of Martinsville being the race where Chase breaks threw in the new Camaro and gets his first career victory. Either way time will tell as the season goes on, with the sport growing ever younger with the likes of Bubba Wallace, William Byron and Alex Bowman coming into the sport. Chase has to show everyone all the talk about him wasn't just because of his last name. Rick Hendrick didnt sign the seventeen year old young man way back when because of his last name. He was signed due to his driving skill and wheel manship. So guys before anyone has any worries just wait and see new "old" number, new car, refreshed and motivated Elliott will lead to many wins and who knows a Hall of Fame career like his dad Bill.
The best way to finish this is by saying this, the newest member of the Dawsonville racing gang will carry his membership with pride. He will do all he can to bring honor, respect, victories and most importantly the fear from other drivers to his team and hometown. Hope all you Chase fans enjoyed this one, because I enjoyed writing this about my favorite driver. STAY TUNED for more on other drivers that were requested!
The rookie campaigne started off as about as great as any rookie could want. With claiming the pole position in his very first Daytona 500. Unfortunately after getting loose on lap eighteen he slid into the front stretch grass and damaged the car, leading to a 38th position finishing spot. Later on in the year an unfortunate rookie mistake at Michigan would cost him the lead and the chance at the win. Chase was very hard on himself after the race saying he had missed a shift and it was all on him. Chase would go onto lead once again that season but a late race caution wiped out his lead over Martin Truex and caused him to finish 3rd. Chase went on to win two pole awards and lead 358 laps through out the year. In his rookie year, Chase made the playoffs and averaged a 14th place finishing spot. Chase was on pace to break through his second year after a very good start to career. Chase would receive the rookie of the year award for his efforts.
The start of the 2017 season once again started off as great as one driver could ask for with a second straight pole award at Daytona. Then not only that, but one of the Cam Am duels. Chase became the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1996 to accomplish that unfortunately his great start wouldnt hold up to the big race. Chase winded up finishing 14th with Kurt Bush winning the race. Chase would go onto finish second at Michigan for the third consecutive race in 2017. Along with two more very talked about races. Chase was leading at Dover with fifty laps to go and a four second lead, sadly once again his hopes were dashed by a veteran Kyle Bush, and would go onto finish second. The next was the fall race at Martinsville, after Kyle Bush got knocked outta the way Elliott won the second stage and then would go onto take the lead from Brad Keselowski late in the race. Some very unfortunate and possibly as some called "dirty" racing Chase lost another oppertunity because of Denny Hamlin driving straight into the back of the 24 car with three to go and causing Chase to wreck. Chase would go onto say after the race, "He's (Hamlin) not even worth my time...We had a good opportunity I can't control his decisions whatever and the hell that was onto Texas." Chase would then receive a public apology on twitter from Hamlin, but bad blood was still there for sure. The last race before the final four raced at Homestead was Phoenix were Chase was in a must win situation, and raced Hamlin a little to hard for Hamlin's likings causing him to cut a tire and hit the wall. Sadly, once again another Toyota driving veteran in Matt Keneseth would go onto dash the hopes of the hendricks driver taking the lead from him and never looking back. Chase would be elimated from the playoffs and would go onto finish fifth in the series standings for the year. After an unfortunate stent of luck late in the year, Chase once again finished second to someone else but rightfully to a legend in his own. Chase finished second in the most popular driver vote to one Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earlier this year in was announced that Chase would be switching numbers to start the 2018 season.
Chase was able finally after convincing Mr. Hendrick able to get himself back into the car that his dad made famous the number nine. Chase rolled the nine back onto the track at Daytona posting a ninth qualifying effort to begin with but after going onto win his second duel of the year he would start 4th. Chase unfortunately would be caught in the "big one" and defiantly wouldn't finish where he wanted to in 33rd. With the the new car being brought into the series, all Chevrolet drivers are struggling to adapt and learn to adjust the new cars. Chase has only finished in the top twenty three outta the five races so far. With the hopes of Martinsville being the race where Chase breaks threw in the new Camaro and gets his first career victory. Either way time will tell as the season goes on, with the sport growing ever younger with the likes of Bubba Wallace, William Byron and Alex Bowman coming into the sport. Chase has to show everyone all the talk about him wasn't just because of his last name. Rick Hendrick didnt sign the seventeen year old young man way back when because of his last name. He was signed due to his driving skill and wheel manship. So guys before anyone has any worries just wait and see new "old" number, new car, refreshed and motivated Elliott will lead to many wins and who knows a Hall of Fame career like his dad Bill.
The best way to finish this is by saying this, the newest member of the Dawsonville racing gang will carry his membership with pride. He will do all he can to bring honor, respect, victories and most importantly the fear from other drivers to his team and hometown. Hope all you Chase fans enjoyed this one, because I enjoyed writing this about my favorite driver. STAY TUNED for more on other drivers that were requested!
No comments:
Post a Comment