Chase Elliott on his consistent season and staying true to himself: 12 Questions
1. What was one of the first autographs you got as a kid, and what do you remember about that moment?
I grew up around the racetrack, so I don't really remember getting many autographs. I really liked Tony (Stewart) a lot, but I don't ever remember asking for an autograph.
I was a huge Travis Pastrana fan. I grew up riding dirt bikes and all that stuff — loved it. He was the guy. He was reinventing action sports. Anyway, he was racing at the Prelude (to the Dream, at Eldora Speedway) one year, and Dad (Bill Elliott) was running it. I took a hat and asked (Pastrana) to sign it. It was obviously a really cool thing for me, being a kid and really being a fan of his and him taking the time to do that. I appreciate it a bunch. And I've still got it somewhere.
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2. What is the most miserable you've ever been inside of a race car?
In 2015, I ran a handful of Cup races in the No. 25. At Indy, I ran something over and it punctured one of the headers underneath the car. I obviously didn't know that, and I was hot. I was just miserable and got really sick there toward the end of the race. That was as bad off as I can remember — like getting out of the car and just not feeling good, having a hard time changing clothes. Just in a bad way. And then I found out the next week there had been a puncture, and ultimately, I was getting all kinds of fumes inside the car along with just being really hot. That combination was not fun, for sure.
3. Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about?
I went through a period where I was pretty competitive with golf, and then I realized how bad I am, and since then, I've tried to just enjoy my outings. But occasionally, if you're going out golfing with some buddies or whatever, and you've got $100 on a game or something, it can be competitive — but it's in a much better place now than it was a year or two ago.
4. What do people get wrong about you?
I don't really ask enough to care to know, honestly — and that's fine. I'm totally OK with that. You have the folks who are around you — your team and the people you go to battle with each week — and it's about showing up for them at the end of the day. I have really learned to put less and less stock in that.
You do have some true fans out there who are going to support you and appreciate you on your good days and your bad days. Those folks have got your back all the time. Outside of that, the outside stuff just is what it is. I don't ask. I just try to do my thing and be me, and to make sure I'm showing up for the folks who show up for me, who are ultimately going to be in your life beyond all this stuff. That's important to me, and I don't go too far past that.
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5. What kind of Uber passenger are you, and how much do you care about your Uber rating?
The way I think about that is I don't ever want to be in a position where I need a ride somewhere and have somebody not pick me up because I'm a bad Uber rider.
Like, they look at your rating and they're like, 'I'm not picking up this guy.'
I don't want to put myself in that position. And also, I'm not trying to cause a fuss in the back seat of ultimately some stranger's car. I just appreciate whoever it is taking me to wherever I'm going and hopefully get there safe and let him go on his way, and I'll go on mine.
Do people recognize you in the Uber sometimes?
Not often. Usually when I do Uber, I'm in a big city or something. Most of the time, NASCAR is not recognized in large cities. … But most places we go, we have rental cars or you drive or whatever.
6. This is a wild-card question. You have been remarkably consistent over and over, but that gets overshadowed by the lack of wins. But if you look at the stats, it appears you're getting more consistent each year. You still haven't finished outside the top 20 this entire season. How are you doing this? How are you more consistent than seemingly anybody? (Note: This interview was conducted before he won at Atlanta.)
There's a certain component in being able to make a bad day all right that really matters as it pertains to being a real contender. Sometimes that element can be really hard to get. For some people, that element can be harder than the pace or the wins in some cases.
For me, it's just a really good reminder that we have a really good team. I really do believe that. We have a really good team behind the wall, over the wall, and before we get to the racetrack each week. All that stuff ends up making a difference.
Look, I understand the points and the wins and what it means. But there are times you can get into the playoffs and you might get caught up in a wreck or have a bad day. And for you to be able to really lean on your team and say, 'Hey, let's just dig a top-20 out of this' — that can be important.
7. This is the 16th year I've been doing these 12 Questions interviews, and I'm going back to an earlier one and seeing how your answer compares. In 2014, I asked what you'd do on a day off where you could do anything in the world, but you weren't allowed to do anything with racing. You said you'd go to a baseball or basketball game. Would you answer that the same way now?
(Laughs.) I could see going to a baseball game, for sure. I don't know about a basketball game, but maybe. I love sports. Love watching sports. …
I value time at home. That's high on my list for sure. Especially 12 years since that question of being gone on the weekends, it's nice to be home when you have the opportunity to enjoy a nice evening at the house. To sit around home and watch (an Atlanta) Braves game on the porch or whatever — that's a pretty nice night for me.
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8. Other than one of your teammates, name a driver whom you'd be one of the first people to congratulate them in victory lane if they won a race.
(Ryan) Blaney, Bubba (Wallace) — just friends more than anything. Folks I've grown up racing with.
But in a lot of cases, it's when you have relationships with guys who maybe haven't gotten that first win yet. Having been through that, I remember how important and special it was to me to see so many of my competitors and people I've admired come and congratulate me for my first win. It was such a great sign of, 'Hey, I've earned their respect enough for them to come tell me 'Good job.''
9. How much do you use AI technology, whether for your job or daily life? Are you a ChatGPT guy?
I'm not. I just don't find myself in many situations where I need it. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've messed with it, and honestly, probably the majority of those two or three times I've just been curious what it is. You could Google stuff before and get your answer if you're looking for information or whatever. So it's kind of just a streamlined Google, is kind of how I look at it.
10. What is a time in your life that you felt was really challenging, but you're proud of the way you responded to it?
Professionally, the road to that first win was one. I think both myself and our team should be proud — because a lot of those guys are still here.
There were a lot of tough days in that journey and that trek. Just keeping our heads down and showing up each week and continuing to believe and trust in the process we had. There's a lot to be proud of in that.
11. What needs to happen in NASCAR to take the sport to the next level of popularity?
Man, if I had the answer to that, boy, we'd be selling it. But I don't know. I really don't have the answer. I don't think anyone does, truthfully. Anything from my perspective is just an opinion, and there's probably 150 different opinions in here.
The No. 1 thing for me has always been a really good on-track product. When I boil the rest of it off and look at just what we have, you have to have a product that is enticing and exciting to watch. Because if not, then what are we selling? It has to be something people are drawn to watch — that's interesting to them, that gives them a sense of, 'Wow, I've never seen that before,' or, 'Wow, I can really get on board with that.'
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We have elements of that here and there. There are elements that could be better. But if I was to give one answer — and it's broad and there's a lot of things that go into it — it's a good on-track product.
12. Each week, I ask a driver to give me a question for the next interview. Last week was your buddy Blaney. His question for you is: 'When are you ever going to get better at golf, and how many hours will you have to put in to get to my level?'
(Laughs.) Wow! Wow. It's a valid question. It really is. I go through these little pockets where I get better and then I fall back apart again. For the record, I've hung with him a few times. I'm not as good as him. …
I'd love to get out more and play and try to give him a run. But listen, I want to be able to go beat him. There's nothing like going to play somebody like him who's going to give you a bunch of crap for it and him have to give me strokes. That just sucks. So maybe one day. We'll keep chipping at it.
The next interview I'm doing is with Shane van Gisbergen. Do you have a question I might be able to ask him?
I don't know if he'll even answer this to the depth I would want, but what is the No. 1 habit that works for him in road-course racing that he feels like works against him in oval racing?
(Top photo of Chase Elliott celebrating Sunday's win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
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