Gordon, Waltrip & McReynolds on Chase Elliott’s Win
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| Chase Elliott |
Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, finally broke through for his first career MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES win Sunday at Watkins Glen International. Below, FOX NASCAR analysts four-time champion Jeff Gordon (whom Elliott replaced at Hendrick Motorsports in 2016 upon Gordon’s retirement), three-time champion Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds discuss the significance of the victory for the driver, his team and the sport in general:
On initial reaction to Chase Elliott’s win Sunday at Watkins Glen:
“It was fun to see someone who has spent the majority of his life working for this moment finally achieve the ultimate goal. It is so ironic that his father, Bill, also won his first race on a road course. Now that Chase has his first win, I can’t wait to see when and where the next one comes. But I feel confident it won’t be long."
–Jeff Gordon
On the significance of Elliott’s win for NASCAR:
“Chase has a ton of talent and is a smart kid. He has that downhome, Dawsonville, Ga., family man, Bill Elliott style, which I think is what the fans are looking for right now and what the sport needs."
–Darrell Waltrip
On the impact of Elliott’s win on the younger class of drivers:
“These young drivers have to win. It’s one thing to be a part of the show; it’s something else to be the show. The only way you can be the show is if you win. It’s very important to the sport and to Chase’s generation of drivers that he was able to hold off one of the ‘Big 3’ drivers to pull off his first win."
–Darrell Waltrip
On whether Elliott could be the ‘next Bill Elliott’ in NASCAR as far as fan popularity and persona are concerned:
“He definitely could be. Chase reminds me so much of Bill in so many ways and even drives like his dad. Bill was never terribly aggressive, but he could be when he needed to be. He was usually more conservative because he drove the family car, and if he tore up the family car, the family had to fix it. I saw a lot of Bill in Chase the first couple of years I watched him."
–Darrell Waltrip
On whether the win is more significant for Elliott or the sport as a whole:
“This win is significant for everyone involved, but it’s huge for Chase. Just think of the pressure and expectations on this young man when he first stepped into what was then the No. 24 car to replace Jeff Gordon at the beginning of 2016. You’re Bill Elliott’s son and have won in everything you’ve raced in, including a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. The win was also huge for Hendrick Motorsports. Last week, I said I wasn’t even sure they would win a race this year."
–Larry McReynolds (on Monday’s NASCAR RACE HUB on FS1)
On the poise Elliott displayed in the closing laps of the race:
“We all knew it was only a matter of time before this young man made it to Victory Lane. I didn’t see it happening on a road course, of all places, or in dominating fashion. This was a little different situation because he had to hit his marks for 32 laps, with two of the best in the business right behind him."
–Larry McReynolds (on Monday’s NASCAR RACE HUB on FS1)
On whether getting the first win makes subsequent wins easier:
“Yes and no. Getting that first win, particularly since it took so long, takes a lot of pressure off. But it’s a road course and we only do that a couple of times a year. Now he needs to win on an oval to solidify himself as a driver who can win anywhere. He did an amazing job – it’s hard to run a road course and not make any mistakes. That shows he can handle the pressure. But the next challenge is to win on an oval."
–Darrell Waltrip