Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Chase Elliott is 7/1 to win 2019 First Data 500

Chase Elliott was runner-up in spring race.
Chase Elliott on racing at Martinsville:
“Martinsville has been hit-or-miss for us. We ran good there in the spring, ran bad there last fall. I feel like we have had really good runs there and bad runs there. I haven’t really done anything different; we just need to really do our homework this week and just really focus on it.”

Elliott on advancing to the Championship 4:

“I think our best shot at the next round is to win. I don’t know how many points those guys have but between, they have to have a bunch of points, right? A win would be the greatest way to move on and assure you a spot a Homestead.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10:45 a.m. local time in the media center at Martinsville Speedway.

WELCOME TO THE ROUND OF 8: In a double-overtime race at Kansas Speedway, Chase Elliott continued his top-10 streak at the 1.5-mile track when he crossed the finish line in second and raced his way into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8. After starting the round with an early exit at Dover, the No. 9 team was able to rebound at both Talladega and Kansas. Elliott currently holds an active streak of two races in which he has led laps, tied with five other competitors for the second spot behind only teammate William Byron, who has led laps in four straight races.

MOUNTAIN DEW RETURNS: Last week, the No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was showcased via Hendrick Motorsports social channels. The memorable green and black scheme will return this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. The popular colors graced Elliott’s Chevrolet last season at Kansas Speedway in the fall when the No. 9 team ended its day with a win in the NASCAR playoffs Round of 12.

'PAPERCLIP' STATS: Elliott looks to continue his three-race top-10 streak at Martinsville Speedway as he makes his ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at the track this weekend. He has finished inside the top 10 in four of his last five visits to the track. During the most recent visit to Martinsville in March, he raced inside the top five for much of the 500-lap race and led a total of 49 laps en route to a second-place finish. During that visit, he earned the most points (51) of the drivers in the Round of 8 of the playoffs.

SHORT-TRACK STATS: This weekend, Elliott will make his 26th short-track start (Richmond, Bristol and Martinsville). In the Dawsonville, Georgia, native's previous 25 short-track starts, he has collected seven top-five finishes, 11 top-10s and 425 laps led.

GUSTAFSON’S 'PAPERCLIP' STATS: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson is set to call his 30th race from atop the pit box at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. In his previous 29 starts at the track, Gustafson has two wins, 12 top-five finishes and 21 top-10s. Both wins at the 0.526-mile oval came with Jeff Gordon (2013 and 2015). The 2015 win clinched Gustafson and Gordon into Championship 4 for the season finale.

PIT CREW PROWESS: Among the teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the No. 9 pit crew ranks second for the best average time for four-tire stops at 14.029 seconds through 32 races in 2019.

 

2019 Season

  • 6th in standings
  • 32 starts
  • 3 wins
  • 4 pole positions
  • 11 top-five finishes
  • 15 top-10 finishes
  • 601 laps led
 
 

Career

  • 145 starts
  • 6 wins
  • 8 pole positions
  • 44 top-five finishes
  • 74 top-10 finishes
  • 1,844 laps led
 
 

Track Career 

  • 8 starts
  • 0 wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 2 top-five finishes
  • 4 top-10 finishes
  • 192 laps led
 

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