The return to racing has been somewhat of a mixed bag for NASCAR driver Chase Elliott. Though the 24-year-old was able to collect a $100,000 bounty for snapping Kyle Busch’s seven-race Truck Series winning streak on Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, that victory came on the heels of disappointing finishes at the Toyota 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, the latter a race he appeared to have in the bag with only three laps remaining.
Despite the uneven start, Elliott, whose No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro with Kelley Blue Book colors will make its debut tonight in Charlotte (a race originally scheduled for last night, but postponed due to weather), is glad to be back in the driver’s seat after the NASCAR season was put on hold due to COVID-19.
“From NASCAR’s perspective, I think they’ve set a really good example and I’m glad they were the first ones to do anything,” Elliott tells InsideHook. “I think they’ve done a really good job with it. I think it’s important for us to get going and try to get back to normal or whatever normal is going to be.”
As Elliott points out, since NASCAR drivers are somewhat isolated in their cars, not having fans in the stands hasn’t been that noticeable during races.
“For us drivers, it’s not like we have fan interaction during the race,” he says. “It’s not like the crowd gets really loud and we can feed off that or hear that. So, once the race gets started, it really feels pretty normal. If you stare at the grandstands I guess you might notice, but that’s probably not a good move.”
The empty stands also haven’t impacted what has been taking place on the track.
“To me, the intensity of each race has been the same as it would be if there were 100,000 people there,” Elliott says. “I don’t see where that’s really been any different. Once the race gets on, it’s really business as usual.”
However, the lack of fans has been noticeable during pre- and post-race activities, according to Elliott.
“Definitely the lack of people post-race to cheer for the winner or people not being around for pre-race or ad show, it’s just odd,” he says. “I think the weirdest thing is just not shaking people’s hands when you go introduce yourself to somebody or you see a friend or something, I don’t know how that’s going to change, but I could see that being potentially a little different down the road. That’s been odd and hard to get used to for me.”
The reality of the post-COVID-19 world hit home after Elliott and Busch shared a mask-less moment following the Coca-Cola 600, an interaction that could have resulted in a $50,000 fine.
Though Elliott and Busch did not end up getting penalized by NASCAR, the incident did highlight how much things have changed with the new safety protocols in place.
“I didn’t even think about that,” Elliott says. “We hadn’t put our masks on yet. I mean, we just finished a five-hour race. I was wanting to breathe a little fresh air there for a few seconds. He just said he felt for us and it was a tough loss and that he’s been there. And he has. I’ve watched him lose a lot of races that way.”
Despite what constitutes the new normal for NASCAR, Elliott is happy to be back doing what he missed the most during the lockdown: driving and competing.
“I feel like it was weird to be out of a routine and not doing the things I’ve been used to doing for so long,” he says. “I missed the competition. I missed the challenge and going to the track and whatnot. It’s not an easy thing and I enjoy that challenge and trying to compete and beat the rest of them. We’re back and I get that fix a couple of nights a week now. It’s been really nice.”
More Like This
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
