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“It’s Getting Hotter”: Chase Elliott Refuses to See Eye to Eye With Dale Jr and His Suggestion
“It’s Getting Hotter”: Chase Elliott Refuses to See Eye to Eye With Dale Jr
It’s no secret that Chase Elliott is one of the most dominant active drivers on short tracks. Throughout his career, the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver has brought in more than a handful of top fives and even wins at tracks like Martinsville. That being said, NASCAR and Goodyear’s short-track tire package dilemma has seen that notion change. With the rise to rumors of a short track losing a date in favor of a venue like Mexico, Dale Earnhardt Jr shared the prospect that NASCAR is making way for more intermediate racing.
However, not every stakeholder believes this is the right direction to head in. Despite Chase Elliott’s drawbacks at short tracks lately, the HMS driver believes that the answer to NASCAR’s dilemma isn’t moving away from the problem.
Instead of increasing the focus on intermediate tracks, Elliott believes the sport shouldn’t over-saturate type of racetrack.
Alongside Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr has been one of the strongest advocates for short-track racing. But with the new packages failing to make good on their promises, Junior interpreted recent rumors of Richmond losing a day as NASCAR altogether shifting away from the format slowly. But Chase Elliott believes this gives rise to an alarming pattern.
The HMS driver believes that choosing to exploit the quality of certain tracks may end up backfiring in the long run. He shared with media ahead of the All-Star Race, “The races at the mile-and-a-half stuff has been really good. But I don’t think that’s always a reason to get more of them. I always feel like less is more. The Bristol Night race is the perfect example of less is more because you go there once a year, it’s super exciting, everybody loves a Bristol Night race, and it’s because it only happens one time a year, it makes it special.”
Adding to his argument, Elliott also highlighted how road-course racing seemed to lose its charm as of late. Compared to when there were only two events on the calendar, the frequent visits to road courses had diluted its exclusivity. Elliott shared, “I just think that that the more you do that and you lean in one direction and add more more more, you can easily make things that are exciting stale really quickly. So I think we just need to be careful not to do that.”
Going over better solutions, Elliott felt that making the Next-Gen car more suited to tackle the short-track dilemma would benefit the sport more. Not only would the calendar retain diversity in the type of tracks, but it would also allow each weekend to have its unique charm. The HMS driver concluded, “I would rather see a better product on the short-track stuff than take them away. I don’t think they’re taking them away, but I would hate to see a movement away from that, just because it’s an important part of our sport.”
It’s safe to say Chase Elliott is eager to protect short tracks from taking a hit on the Cup Series calendar. Speaking of which, the #9 HMS could prove his point further with his return to another glorious short track, this time in a late-model car.
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H. Marko lashes out at Steiner: Defend Mick Schumacher
Helmut Marko believes Mick Schumacher deserves a return to Formula 1, naming two teams he thinks would consider the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. The 81-year-old Austrian lashes out at Guenther Steiner, who sacked the German at Haas F1 just under two years ago.
“Mick is one of the politest and nicest people in the whole paddock, which is a disadvantage for him. He also has the handicap of a big name,” Marko said in an interview with Sport1.de. “In sporting terms, he has already achieved a lot. He won the Formula 3 championship, he won the Formula 2 championship, that alone made him interesting for Formula 1 teams.”
Schumacher made his Formula 1 debut at Haas F1 in 2021. There, he lasted two seasons. After a disappointing season in 2022, Guenther Steiner showed him the door and they opted for more experience with Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
Marko: ‘Netflix superstar’ Steiner treated Schumacher unfairly
“As far as we were concerned, there were no sporting reasons why we never got together,” Red Bull Racing’s team advisor explained. “He was a Ferrari junior at the time, but Mercedes took him into the team [afterwards]. So he wasn’t even on the market.”
“At Haas, he was not treated fairly by Netflix superstar Guenther Steiner. That’s a fact. Once you drive outside Formula 1, it becomes a difficult story. But behind the scenes, you only hear good things about him. Toto Wolff praises him to the skies. I think Alpine and Audi are seriously considering him. I wouldn’t begrudge him, because he deserves it,” Marko said.
Verstappen and Hamilton CRASH as FIA take action in Hungary
Max Verstappen was involved in a dramatic collision with Lewis Hamilton for P3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman attempted an overtake on his rival into Turn 1, going though the inside but locking up as Hamilton’s front right collided with Verstappen’s rear left.
In dramatic fashion the Red Bull was launched into the air, and was lucky to remain in the race, falling behind the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen has been placed under investigation by the stewards, with the FIA calling a 4.50pm UK time summons, where the sport’s governing body confirmed their findings.
F1 RECAP: Piastri claims STUNNING maiden victory as FIA announce Verstappen penalty verdict
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton crash in Hungary
A nightmare Hungarian GP for Max Verstappen
It was a difficult race for the champion who went wide on the opening lap, and was forced to give the position back to Lando Norris after claiming P2.
The Red Bull star accused the Brit of running him wide, and continued to deliver a series of furious radio messages to his team during the grand prix.
Verstappen’s frustrations came to the fore as he attempted to overtake Hamilton, with the pair lucky to not be embroiled in more devastating contact.
In the end Hamilton claimed P3 and a podium in Hungary, with Verstappen languishing back in fifth.
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“It’s going to be emotional for me” – Chase Briscoe on honoring Tony Stewart’s legacy
Chase Briscoe, in a recent media session, shared his emotions about racing on the oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Briscoe will be driving the No. 14 car, a number famously associated with his current team owner, Tony Stewart.
Stewart won several races and the 2011 championship with this car. He also co-owns NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), which will be shutting down after this season.
NASCAR first raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in 1994, which was the first race there besides the Indianapolis 500 in 1916. Since then, many different racing series have raced at IMS. As the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Brickyard 400 after three years off, Chase Briscoe, who grew up in Mitchell, Indiana, faces an emotional weekend.
“It’s going to be emotional for me, I mean full transparency I cry every year just on the ride around deal so with it being on the oval and doing it in the 14 all that it’s going to be definitely, probably emotional,” said Briscoe.
“It’s really special to be back here at home in Indiana. Every race car driver dreams of racing at Indianapolis, but for me, it’s even more special because I grew up here,” he added.
Chase Briscoe eyes playoff spot and #14 legacy
A win this weekend will help Chase Briscoe secure a spot in the 2024 Cup playoffs. It would also be a fitting end to SHR’s legacy at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Briscoe has raced at the Brickyard before, twice in the Xfinity Series and won on the road course layout in 2020.
“I didn’t know if I’d ever get a chance to race on the oval. So being able to do it this year means a lot to me,” Briscoe stated.
The #14 car has a special place in NASCAR history. After Stewart retired in 2016, Clint Bowyer took over and won two races in 2018. Chase Briscoe then drove the #14 in 2021 and earned his first win in 2022. Other notable racers like Fonty Flock, Hershel McGriff, and A.J. Foyt, also drove this famed car.
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