It finally happened. After 99 career races in the NASCAR circuit, Chase Elliott, 22-year-old son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliot driver of the Hendrick’s Motorsports #9 car, finally won his very first NASCAR Monster Cup series race on the road track at Watkin’s Glen International. It comes approximiate 35 years after his old man – Awesome Bill from Dawsonville – won his very first NASCAR race on a road track.
Elliot is one of the big young guns poised to be the next big NASCAR star. Fans love him and he’s a complete Bro. He’s also total salt of the earth, with the Elliot family proudly haling from Dawsonville, Georgia, a tiny town of 3,000. After Chase won at The Glen, the town fired up the police and fire siren while townfolk politely celebrated in the street.
So how’d he get fired up before battling it out against Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. for a win? The way a good old boy from Georgia does: Watching a speech from UGA head coach Kirby Smart.
With a much-needed first win under his belt, Elliott’s stock is about to soar in the motorsports world. He’s officially earned his respect from fans and big boys as one of the young greats. And the sport of NASCAR – badly needed a new generation of stars – is greater for it.
