Chase Elliott is one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR and has won the Cup Series Championship, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a theory about his future
Chase Elliott, one of NASCAR’s most beloved drivers, might retire earlier than anticipated, according to racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Elliott is not only a fan favorite but also one of the top performers in the NASCAR Cup Series, racing alongside Kyle Larson for the star-studded Hendrick Motorsports team. He clinched the Cup Series Championship in 2020 and bagged a regular-season title in 2022.
Elliott has been crowned the Most Popular Driver seven years running among his many accolades. With 21 victories under his belt in his Cup Series career, he’s poised to leave an impressive legacy, but Earnhardt Jr. suspects an early retirement could be on the horizon. It comes after Earnhardt Jr. revealed his hopes for a reconciliation with a family member.
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Denny Hamlin celebrated his 60th Cup Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past Sunday, joining an exclusive club. Hamlin now shares the same number of wins as Richard Petty and Kevin Harvick, making him one of only two active drivers to achieve this feat.
Kyle Busch is the other driver with 60 wins, a milestone that sparked a lively debate on Earnhardt Jr’s podcast. The NASCAR icon and co-host TJ Majors pondered if any other driver would ever hit the 60-win mark.
The conversation turned to racers like Larson, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski before landing on Elliott. “Chase Elliott is at 21,” noted Earnhardt Jr.
“I think he will retire before that is possible. I think if Chase Elliott wanted to go win 60 races and stick around that long, he’d have a shot at it. But I think he gets out before.
“He’s like, ‘Alright y’all, I’m going to hide in the hills of Georgia, you’ll never see me again.'”
Among all current drivers, Earnhardt Jr. thinks that Logano is the sole contender who might reach 60 victories. Logano presently sits at 37 Cup Series wins, but the 35 year old displays no indication of slowing his pace anytime soon.
“I think Kyle Larson could do it, maybe Joey (Logano),” Earnhardt Jr. added. “Joey needs to run better during the regular season. He’s 13 away from 50; he will get to 50 easily.
“I think Joey lands around 55 wins in his career. Brad Keselowski is at 36, so I don’t see him getting there. Brad will be lucky to see 40. Kyle Larson at 32 wins, if he wants to race long enough, he can do it. I think Kyle Larson doesn’t race long enough.”
Earnhardt Jr. then turned his focus back to Logano, wrapping up: “He’s 13 from 50 and he doesn’t give a s— about anything other than racing. Joey is the guy that’s going to race until he’s 50.”
