That is the very best that Chase Elliott, Alan Gustafson and the Hendrick Motorsports workforce have ever regarded to begin a NASAR Cup Collection season and that makes them a really critical menace within the new Chase for the Championship.
Positive, Elliott has led the standings early in a season by his trademark consistency and penchant for ending races and having good factors day however now he’s received twice over the primary 11 races.
That’s the earliest he has reached a number of wins, by the way in which, and now sits third within the championship standings. It’s the very best of each worlds concerning what makes an amazing Cup Collection contender.
“I believe having a win early at Martinsville, and I mentioned it then … it is not like, ‘oh, hey, the stress is off, now we have a win.’ It is, ‘man, now we have rather a lot longer time period to construct on that.’ That is genuinely the place my thoughts was at.”
There are such a lot of parallels from Elliott to his direct supervisor, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and four-time champion Jeff Gordon, but it surely’s principally in how they put collectively seasons.
Even when Gordon wasn’t successful in bulk, particularly when paired with Gustafson, the No. 24 nonetheless regularly contended for championships on pure consistency. However Gordon can even let you know that the consistency with out successful a number of races is one thing that gnawed at him in these seasons.
“Consistency helps since you’re not attempting to reinvent the wheel,” Gordon mentioned. “You are fine-tuning. You are, like, ‘hey, we’re good however we must be higher.’ We might wish to maintain working in sure areas as a result of we should be doing one thing proper.
“No less than the consistency retains you in type of a circulate and a route that I believe you may construct on and solely get higher. However if you happen to do not win each infrequently, like I’ve all the time mentioned, if you happen to do not win each eight to 10 races, man, simply the exhausting work drains you, the entire workforce, driver, workforce, all people, pit crew.
“You bought to have these victories.”
However Gordon additionally mentioned, if not successful races, they must be successful ‘mini-races’ on pit highway or in consistency, all of the little ways in which Elliott and Gustafson have continued to be within the combine each season.
“It may very well be not only a win of a race, however these race wins are so crucial I believe to a workforce’s season and success as a result of that builds the arrogance to a different degree that not solely are we on track, however we’re able to successful all of it,” Gordon mentioned.
“In the event you win on a constant foundation, then once more, that is what provides to a championship-caliber workforce.”
Not solely does Gustafson suppose it is a championship degree workforce this season, however the crew chief of over 20 years additionally thinks Elliott might win this title ranging from sixteenth with 10 races left to go … not that it’s going to really come right down to that.
After all, he thinks anybody might realistically win too, however he does like his probabilities sitting at third proper now.
“Okay. Do the mathematics, proper,” Gustafson mentioned. “After 10 (races) Tyler Reddick had over a 100-point lead. Theoretically, if you happen to repeat these races, he might begin sixteenth and win the championship, proper? So I believe something is feasible.
“I do suppose, look, all people desires as many factors as you will get. Actually, the very best groups are going to place themselves in the direction of the highest. I am not sleeping on anyone. I imply, any person can determine one thing out and get scorching. I do not suppose 100 factors makes anyone protected.”
And maybe essentially the most telling factor about the place the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 is true now’s that they’ve married two wins with consistency whereas it looks as if all of Chevrolet remains to be attempting to maximise their new physique model for this season.
In different phrases, this isn’t the very best Hendrick Motorsports might be all 12 months both, and Elliott was fast to credit score ‘the blokes on the store’ for getting them nearer every week.
“I imply, I believe it is all the time in regards to the effort and the conversations that go on through the week and through the weeks main as much as the races and the way that work is put into our race vehicles on the store,” Elliott mentioned. “These races are actually — sure, they’re received on the racetrack and the way properly you execute and all these issues, however you certain are hedging your wager rather a lot by the way you put together and what your automobile is like earlier than it hundreds up within the truck.
“I can not emphasize that sufficient. I perceive that. I do not know that lots of people perceive simply how essential that’s to the general efficiency, however it’s a enormous piece. Actually lucky and happy with all people at Hendrick Motorsports for his or her continued efforts to only dig in.
“We now have a gritty group again house that they simply do not take no for a solution. They’re going to simply work and work and work. No matter has received to be carried out, get carried out. Friday, Saturday, midnight, 2:00, no matter. They wish to win, and the boss desires to win, and we’ll do no matter we received to do to attempt our greatest for that.”
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