NASCAR Cup Series

Braves, Bulldogs fan Chase Elliott aims to give Georgia another reason to cheer

Published Nov. 2, 2021 9:19 a.m. ET

By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer

NASCAR driver Chase Elliott cheered his home-state team, his beloved Atlanta Braves, at Truist Park over the weekend.

He knows something about professional sports championship runs and adoring fans. A year ago, Elliott won the NASCAR Cup Series title and came home to a parade attended by thousands in his hometown of Dawsonville, Georgia.

"I was honestly taken aback by it," Elliott said of the hometown reaction to his Cup title. "The amount of people that was there … I was shocked. I wouldn't go see me."

Now that he is one of those fans whose emotions fluctuate with every move made by his favorite sports team, he hopes to experience the jubilation his fans enjoyed a year ago.

"Myself, like a lot of people, have invested a lot of time in pulling for the Atlanta Braves over the years and some heartbreak along the way," he said. "It’s a big deal."

As Elliott spoke Sunday morning at Martinsville Speedway after a flight from Georgia, he was a little prophetic.

"It can all go south really fast," he said. "We always remember that."

Elliott was talking about the Braves, but he could have been talking about his quest to become the first driver to repeat as Cup champion since Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010.

The 25-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver doesn’t enter the championship race Sunday at Phoenix Raceway as the favorite. His teammate, Kyle Larson, has won nine races this year. Martin Truex Jr. has won four, including the race earlier this season at Phoenix. Elliott and Denny Hamlin have won just twice.

But don’t take that to mean that Elliott feels about his chances the way he feels about his Braves, who head to Houston up 3-2 as the best-of-seven World Series resumes Tuesday night (8:09 p.m. ET on FOX).

"I feel like the Braves are playing with house money at this point, with the season they kind of had and the ups and the downs and the injuries and how their playoffs have been in the past," Elliott said. "They are an exciting team to watch."

He doesn’t feel that way about his own chances going into Phoenix, where he won the race last year in capturing the title. He knows things can change quickly, but he has confidence.

"I’m super proud of this team," Elliott said. "I know it hasn’t been super pretty at times, but for us to keep fighting through these playoffs and to get to Phoenix …

"When you get there, it’s anybody’s game to go out there in that final four. To make it for a second consecutive year and being amongst those four cars is a big deal. We’re excited to have a shot."

Compared to the other drivers, Elliott ranks third in top-5s (Larson 19, Hamlin 18, Elliott 14, Truex 12) this year and third in average finish (Hamlin 8.6, Larson 9.2, Elliott 11.5, Truex 12.3).

Perhaps more concerning is that Elliott has yet to win on an oval this year. Both of his victories came on road courses.

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"Obviously, the results are what they are," he said. "Whatever the reason may be, it really doesn’t matter. You either do or you don’t, and we haven’t checked that box yet this year.

"I don’t feel like it’s been a lack of performance on certain ovals. I think we’ve been really solid. I feel like we are just as capable as we were a year ago or a year before that."

The past year has also taught him "that lesson that it’s not over until it’s over, and anything can happen."

Well, what has happened the majority of the time this season is that Elliott has been outrun by his teammate Larson.

"We stay really focused on worrying about ourselves and worrying about the things that we can do and what we’re capable of as a team at a high level," he said.

Elliott has not appeared jealous or jaded over Larson’s success in his first year with the organization. They have known each other for several years, often racing against each other in NASCAR’s developmental series.

"We've done a good job of giving them all the technical tools they need to go out and run well," team general manager Jeff Andrews said.

"The hope is that all four of those would feed off of each other, and that a certain percentage grade of success in one of the teams does not become a distraction or a hindrance to the other team."

Andrews said there have been plenty of situations in which Elliott was very close to wins, races that slipped away — races that Elliott can’t focus on in the coming week.

"Our guys are on Phoenix now," Elliott said. "We can focus on going out there and putting together a solid race, which I know we're very much capable of doing. I'm excited for the opportunity."

But, hey, first things first. There is at least one more baseball game to watch. Plus, Elliott’s favorite college football team is the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs.

"I love this time of year," he said. "Postseason baseball is one of my favorite things ever. Yes, obviously with the Braves being in it, I’m paying closer attention.

"I’d be watching anyway, for sure. Just everything in sports right now, this is the best time right now. Our season is getting exciting if you’re still part of the deal."

Elliott is still part of the NASCAR Cup championship deal. He has one more race to win if he is to feel the thrill of another championship and more adoring fans.

He figures that what his team did last year should work again this year.

"We have been there, and we know how far we can push ourselves and what we need to do to get prepared," Elliott said.

Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass.