Chase Elliott, the Hendrick Motorsports driver, recently admitted to being unaware of the $1 million prize attached to NASCAR’s inaugural in-season tournament, which kicks off next week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This surprising oversight came as a shock to many, especially given the high stakes and growing attention surrounding the five-race event. Elliott’s laid-back approach has always been a defining trait, but it now appears his detachment extends beyond mere public perception.

Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin expressed his surprise and respect for Elliott’s candidness about the oversight. Despite the tournament’s potential to shake up the regular season, the news hasn’t been widely promoted, as Kyle Larson pointed out:

“I just really haven’t seen anything promoted about it, so I think it’s easy to forget about it.”

—Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver

Denny Hamlin Reassesses Elliott’s Approach to Racing

This year, NASCAR introduced a new competition format late in the season to add excitement and reward consistency. The novelty of the in-season tournament has caused confusion among drivers and fans alike. Elliott, until recently ignorant of the million-dollar reward, confessed to The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck that he hadn’t realized the full scope of the event’s stakes.

Hamlin shared his perspective on the Actions Detrimental podcast, reflecting on how he previously thought Elliott was intentionally downplaying aspects of the sport. However, his new understanding is that Elliott genuinely disconnects from racing outside of race day preparation. Hamlin stated:

“I thought before with Chase Elliott, that he just kind of underplays everything. I used to think he’s saying he doesn’t know this or the other, but he’s just underselling it so he doesn’t talk about it. I don’t believe that anymore. I believe that when he gets out of the car on Sunday, he completely tunes out anything racing other than his team stuff. You know, doing the work he needs to do with his team. I believe it.”

—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver

Hamlin continued to emphasize Elliott’s ability to mentally separate himself from the sport after Sundays, illustrating this with another quote:

“He unplugs is what I believe. Because he was like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on. I think I heard something about the tournament. What do you get? A million. Huh. That sounds cool.’”

—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver

Currently, Elliott stands fifth in the tournament seedings following a strong fifth-place finish at Pocono Raceway, where he advanced steadily from an 18th starting position. His upcoming matchups in the tournament will begin against Austin Dillon at the recently rebranded Echopark Speedway during the 2025 Quaker State 400. The winner will then face either John Hunter Nemechek or Josh Berry in Chicago. Momentum seems to be building for Elliott, who has yet to secure a victory since April 2024 but recently achieved back-to-back top-five results.

Analyzing Elliott’s Performance and Challenges at Pocono Raceway

Despite a winless streak spanning over 40 races, Elliott’s resilience remains evident. During the race at Pocono Raceway, known for its difficulty and nicknamed the ‘Tricky Triangle,’ Elliott showed promising pace, climbing from 18th to third in Stage 2 before settling into a fifth-place finish after being overtaken by Ryan Blaney on lap 115.

Reflecting on his race performance, Elliott acknowledged the potential missed opportunity, saying:

“We were just right there, you know, right one little adjustment away from being right with Ryan and Denny. I feel like it’s all well within reach. We just got to piece it all together at the same time.”

—Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver

He identified a specific challenge that hampered his run:

“We were just really loose in (turn) three. I felt like I could pace pretty good through turns one and two, but I just could not get turn three right all day. Certainly as the run went on, it became more challenging for me and I started making more and more mistakes over there.”

—Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver

Despite these difficulties, Elliott’s consistent ability to finish in the top 10 at Pocono—including his fourth straight such result there—highlights his competitive skill even under difficult conditions. His next priority is to leverage this momentum and aim for his first win at the 1.54-mile quad-oval Echopark Speedway, where he finished 20th earlier this year.

Potential Impact of Elliott’s Tournament Participation on His Season

Chase Elliott’s relaxed, almost detached persona has drawn mixed opinions within the NASCAR community. While some view it as a weakness in the intense pressure-cooker environment of professional racing, others see it as a mental strength that allows him to reset and focus when it matters most. With the substantial $1 million prize now clearly on his radar, Elliott faces a pivotal opportunity to alter the course of his season.

As a 2020 NASCAR Championship winner, Elliott’s ambitions remain high. Securing a tournament victory would not only bolster his confidence but also provide vital momentum heading into the playoffs, where every advantage counts. Denny Hamlin’s recognition of Elliott’s unique mindset and degree of focus adds another layer of intrigue to how the upcoming in-season tournament will unfold.

The five-race event promises to energize the NASCAR Cup Series, offering drivers like Elliott a fresh stage to demonstrate skill and gain valuable rewards. As the competition advances from Atlanta to Chicago via Echopark Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, fans and analysts alike will be keenly watching whether Elliott’s laid-back demeanor can translate into a breakthrough win.