Through the first 25 races of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chase Elliott has recorded some noteworthy stats and career highs. His win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May secured his spot in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, and he has collected two wins, one pole award, nine top-five finishes, 14 top-10s and 530 laps led in 25 races. Elliott is currently projected to be fourth in the playoff standings as the series heads into Saturday night’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway.
THROUGH 25: Through 25 races in the NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott has delivered career bests in runner-up results (two), top-five finishes (nine), stage points (200) and stage wins (six). His two wins and 14 top-10s are tied for a personal best through 25 races.
HOOTERS RETURNS: Saturday night at Daytona, the black and orange Hooters “Night Owl” paint scheme will return to the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale. The “Night Owl” design was selected over three other options in an open fan vote on Hooters.com. A casual dining establishment with a deep history in NASCAR, the Atlanta-based company will be a three-race primary sponsor of the No. 9 team this year. Elliott most recently piloted the Hooters Chevy at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Hooters Chevrolet will return later this season in the Texas Motor Speedway playoff race.
POINTS, POINTS, POINTS: As the Cup Series heads to Daytona, Elliott is tied for the third-most stage wins (six) and has garnered the fifth-most stage points (200). He is currently seventh in the driver points standings, 164 behind leader Kevin Harvick.
NIGHT RACE SUCCESS: Elliott and the No. 9 team have thrived during night races this season. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has garnered one win (Charlotte), two runner-up finishes and four top-fives in the last five night races. Elliott was also victorious under the lights in the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway in July.
SUPERSPEEDWAY STATS: Elliott will make his 19th superspeedway start in the NASCAR Cup Series on Saturday. In his previous 18 races, the fifth-year driver has started on the front row seven times – five from the pole position. In April 2019, Elliott earned his first superspeedway victory at Talladega. The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet also has two Duel qualifying race wins at Daytona (2017 and 2018) and was in position to win the 2017 DAYTONA 500 before running out of fuel from the lead on lap 198 of 200. Elliott has also made 12 superspeedway starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, winning the Daytona season opener in 2016.
FLORIDA NATIVE: On Saturday, No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson will return home to the “Birthplace of Speed.” He hails from Ormond Beach, Florida, just down the road from Daytona International Speedway. After graduating from Seabreeze High School, he enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to study mechanical engineering. Gustafson returns to Daytona for his 16th full-time season as a crew chief and his fifth year with Elliott.
GUSTAFSON AT DAYTONA: Gustafson would like to add a Daytona oval win to his résumé. On Aug. 16, he captured his first points win at the DAYTONA Road Course. The 45-year-old crew chief also has collected two Duel qualifying race wins (2017 and 2018) at the track with Elliott. He has two runner-up finishes on the 2.5-mile oval with driver Kyle Busch in 2006 and 2007. The 2007 result with Busch and runner-up Jamie McMurray remains the closest margin of victory ever in the summer race at Daytona (0.005 seconds). Gustafson also has won the pole award at Daytona five times with three drivers: Elliott (three), Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin. He is tied with Leonard Wood and Waddell Wilson for the most DAYTONA 500 pole awards for a crew chief with four.
HMS PR
