Chase Elliott showed speed in the Busch Light Clash Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) at Bowman Gray Stadium, but a series of tough breaks ultimately ended his night early. Despite finally getting back behind the wheel and feeling confident in his car, the steering broke, dashing any hopes of transferring into the main event.
A Night of What-Ifs
Elliott entered the LCQ looking to race his way into the Clash after failing to secure a transfer spot in his heat race. The No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet appeared strong, but the tight confines of Bowman Gray left little room for error. Every opportunity to move forward seemed to slip away, and in the end, mechanical failure sealed his fate.
“It was good to finally get behind the wheel,” Elliott said after the race. “We had a fast car tonight, just seemed like every break didn’t go our way, and then we ended up with a broken steering. Tough way to end it, but that’s racing sometimes.”
Eyes on the Daytona 500
With the Clash now behind him, Elliott is setting his sights on the Daytona 500, the season-opening and most prestigious race of the year. The transition from a quarter-mile bullring to the high-speed drafting of Daytona International Speedway presents a completely different challenge, but Elliott and his team will be ready.
“Next up, Daytona 500,” Elliott added. “We’ll regroup and focus on getting a strong start to the season.”
Elliott, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, will look to rebound from a challenging 2023 season where he missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. A strong showing at Daytona could be the perfect way to kick off his comeback campaign in 2024.
Fans can watch Elliott and the rest of the field take on Daytona when Speedweeks begins, culminating with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 18, airing live on FOX.
