We, as the owners of the No. 9 NASCAR team, wish to make an important announcement regarding Chase Elliott’s participation in tomorrow’s Last Chance Qualifying for the Daytona 500.
It is with regret that we inform you that due to a breach of NASCAR’s rules, Chase Elliott will be forfeiting his pole position for tomorrow’s race. After a thorough investigation and review of the incident, it has been determined that Chase was involved in an illegal maneuver that violated the governing body’s regulations. This violation falls under the category of illegal vehicle modifications, which was identified during pre-race technical inspections.
While we understand that Chase has always been a competitor of the highest integrity, this error was significant enough to warrant such a penalty. The decision to strip the pole position and place him at the back of the field in the Last Chance Qualifying is in line with the sport’s commitment to upholding fairness and integrity, ensuring that all drivers are competing under the same set of rules.
We want to stress that this is not a reflection of Chase’s character or dedication to the sport. He has expressed sincere regret for the mistake and is fully committed to working within NASCAR’s guidelines for the remainder of the season. Chase remains focused on putting in the hard work necessary to make up for this setback, and we are confident he will bounce back stronger in future races.
We ask that fans, sponsors, and media continue to support Chase and the team as we move forward. We are hopeful that with hard work and perseverance, Chase will earn the respect of his peers, and the fans, with his continued dedication to the sport.
We acknowledge the seriousness of this issue and assure everyone that we are taking all necessary steps to ensure this kind of violation does not occur again. We continue to fully support NASCAR’s commitment to ensuring a fair and level playing field for all competitors.
Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to seeing Chase back at the front of the pack in the upcoming weeks.
Sincerely,
The Ownership Team of the No. 9 NASCAR Team
