Chase Elliott

Chase Elliott Bio

William Clyde “Chase” Elliott II, born on November 28, 1995, is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott is the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the most popular figures in the sport, having been named NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver eight consecutive times.

The son of 1988 Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, Chase carries on a proud family racing tradition. He is widely regarded as one of the top road course racers of his generation, with a fan-friendly personality that has made him a marketing favorite for major sponsors including NAPA Auto Parts and Hooters.

Early Life and Background

Chase Elliott was born in Dawsonville, Georgia, a small town north of Atlanta long associated with the Elliott family’s racing roots. He is the son of Bill Elliott, a Hall of Fame driver, and Cindy Elliott. Growing up around a championship-winning father gave Chase early and constant exposure to professional auto racing, and he began competing in quarter midgets and bandolero cars at a very young age.

By his early teenage years, Elliott had become a sensation in short track and late model racing circles across the Southeast. In 2009, at just 13, he was featured in Sports Illustrated as a potential future star alongside athletes like Jordan Spieth. He quickly built a reputation for skill and maturity well beyond his age.

Elliott’s late model resume is one of the most decorated in modern short track history. He won the prestigious Snowball Derby, the Winchester 400, the World Crown 300, and the All American 400, completing what is often called the unofficial grand slam of super late model racing. Multiple Snowflake 100 victories rounded out an extraordinary grassroots foundation before he ever turned a lap in a national NASCAR series.

Path to NASCAR

Elliott signed a multi-year driver development contract with Hendrick Motorsports early in his career, joining one of NASCAR’s flagship organizations. He climbed the ladder through the K&N Pro Series, the ARCA Menards Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he became the youngest winner in series history at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2013.

In 2014, he stepped up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series full-time with JR Motorsports, driving the No. 9. That rookie season was historic: he won the series championship, becoming both the first rookie and the youngest driver ever to claim a NASCAR national series title. He also earned Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year honors.

His performance in the Xfinity Series convinced Hendrick Motorsports that he was ready for the Cup Series. On January 29, 2015, the team announced that Elliott would take over the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet in 2016, replacing the retiring Jeff Gordon and beginning one of the most anticipated transitions in modern NASCAR history.

Chase Elliott Career

Early Career (2013-2015)

Elliott’s earliest national NASCAR appearances came in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2013, when he ran a partial schedule for Hendrick Motorsports-affiliated Turner Scott Motorsports. He earned his first career NASCAR pole at Bristol and soon after won at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, cementing his reputation as a road course ace in the making.

His full-time debut came in 2014 in the Nationwide Series with JR Motorsports. With crew chief Ernie Cope and the No. 9 team, he won at Texas, Darlington, and Chicagoland, then clinched the championship at Phoenix with a 53-point margin. The following year, he split time between the Xfinity Series and limited Cup Series starts, including his debut at Martinsville in the STP 500.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2014-2015, Part-Time Thereafter)

Elliott’s 2014 Xfinity Series championship remains the defining moment of his early career. He proved he could win on ovals of every shape and showed the consistency required to capture a national title. Even after moving to the Cup Series, he continued to run selected Xfinity races for JR Motorsports, adding wins at Daytona in 2016 and Charlotte in 2024.

By 2024, his part-time Xfinity efforts had produced six career series wins, with his most recent victory coming at the BetMGM 300 at Charlotte. He returned to part-time competition in 2025 with the No. 88 for JR Motorsports, continuing to mentor younger drivers within the organization.

NASCAR Cup Series Breakthrough (2016-Present)

Elliott joined the Cup Series full-time in 2016, taking over the No. 24 for Hendrick Motorsports with crew chief Alan Gustafson. He was named NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year, earned the Daytona 500 pole as a 20-year-old, and quickly established himself as a weekly contender despite going winless.

His long-awaited first Cup victory came on August 5, 2018, at Watkins Glen, a road course that perfectly suited his skill set. He followed it with playoff wins at Dover and Kansas that fall, announcing his arrival as an elite competitor. The partnership with Gustafson has remained intact for nearly a decade, making them one of the longest-tenured driver and crew chief pairings in the garage.

The defining season came in 2020. Elliott captured the Daytona 500, won the NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol, and clinched the Cup Series championship at Phoenix, becoming the second-youngest champion in series history. He also won the 2022 regular season championship and has been a fixture in the playoffs nearly every year since his debut.

Hendrick Motorsports Era (2016-Present)

In 2018, Hendrick Motorsports moved Elliott from the No. 24 to the No. 9, honoring the number his father Bill made famous. The switch did not slow his momentum. By the end of 2025, Elliott had amassed 23 career Cup Series wins, 197 top-ten finishes, and 12 pole positions.

Recent highlights include a 42-race winless streak snapped with a victory at Texas in 2024, a Cook Out Clash win to open 2025, a regular season victory at Atlanta, and a playoff win at Kansas in 2025. The 2026 season began with a fourth-place finish in the Daytona 500, followed by wins at Martinsville and Texas. Through it all, his partnership with Alan Gustafson has been a steady anchor in an ever-changing sport.

Driving Style and Strengths

Elliott is widely regarded as one of the best road course racers of his era, with multiple wins at Watkins Glen, the Charlotte Roval, Road America, and Circuit of the Americas. His smooth, precise driving style is particularly effective on technical circuits, where patience and tire management often decide the outcome. Teaming with veteran crew chief Alan Gustafson has allowed him to maximize his strengths in fuel mileage races and long-run pace.

Notable Races and Milestones

Elliott’s signature moments include his first Cup win at Watkins Glen in 2018, the 2020 Daytona 500, the 2020 championship clincher at Phoenix, the 2022 regular season title, and the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. He has also won multiple qualifying Duels at Daytona and earned back-to-back Daytona 500 poles in 2016 and 2017. In 2023, he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.

Chase Elliott Career Wins

Chase Elliott has built one of the most well-rounded win ledgers in modern NASCAR, with victories spanning super late models, the Truck Series, the Xfinity Series, the ARCA Menards Series, exhibition events, and the Cup Series. His success has come on every type of track, from short ovals to superspeedways and road courses.

Cup Series Highlights

Elliott has 23 career NASCAR Cup Series wins, 12 poles, and 197 top-ten finishes. His first victory came at Watkins Glen in 2018, and his most recent came at Texas in 2026. He is a former Cup Series champion (2020), a former regular season champion (2022), a Daytona 500 winner, an All-Star Race winner, and a three-time Duel at Daytona winner. He has been named the Cup Series Most Popular Driver eight consecutive years.

Other Wins and Performances

Beyond the Cup Series, Elliott has six Xfinity Series wins, three Craftsman Truck Series wins, an ARCA Menards Series win, an ARCA East win, and an ARCA West win. He has also won Snowball Derby, Winchester 400, World Crown 300, and All American 400 events, completing the unofficial super late model grand slam. He added a Superstar Racing Experience victory at Nashville in 2021.

Chase Elliott Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

The Elliott family is one of the most storied in American motorsports. Chase’s father, Bill Elliott, won the 1988 Winston Cup championship and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015. The Elliotts are part of a select group of father-son champion combinations, alongside the Pettys and the Jarretts. Chase’s mother, Cindy Elliott, has remained a steady presence throughout his career.

Personal Life

Chase Elliott is in a long-term relationship with Ashley Anderson. The couple has been together for several years, and Anderson is a regular presence at the track on race weekends. Elliott is known for keeping his personal life relatively private despite his high public profile, and he makes his home in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area near the Hendrick Motorsports headquarters.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season marked a strong return to form for Chase Elliott. He opened the year with a victory in the Cook Out Clash exhibition at Bowman Gray Stadium, signaling that the No. 9 team had reestablished its speed after a frustrating 2024 campaign. He followed that with a 15th-place finish in the Daytona 500 and quickly found consistency in the regular season.

Mid-season, Elliott delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the year at Atlanta, passing Brad Keselowski on the final lap to claim his 20th career Cup Series victory. The win was a major confidence boost and reinforced his status as a weekly threat, particularly on intermediate tracks. He added another key victory at Kansas during the playoffs, further cementing his postseason credentials.

By year’s end, Elliott had returned to championship contention with the same combination that delivered the 2020 title: patience, late-race execution, and strong teamwork with Alan Gustafson. With momentum on his side, the 2025 season set the stage for another deep playoff run and continued the resurgence of the iconic No. 9 Chevrolet program.