Chase Elliott doesn't feel behind despite missing first Atlanta race of the season

Ahead of the NASCAR Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott doesn’t feel like he’s lagging behind at all. Elliott has been building momentum, but just can’t seem to break through. Right now, he is in a precarious spot as he tries to point his way into the playoffs if he is unable to get a win.

There is just a little bit of room for Chase Elliott to point his way to the postseason. He has a really good shot at not just picking up points, but winning at Atlanta. Elliott won the Quaker State 400 last season. It was a dominant race, too.

Elliott won the pole, swept the stages, and took the checkered flag. It was one of his best performances of the season in 2022. Even though he missed the March race this season, he isn’t sweating it.

“No. I don’t feel any different, honestly going into it,” Elliott said to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. “Yes, I missed the event but I did get to run Talladega shortly there after I got back which is another speedway event. Not the same but similar in a lot of ways. So I don’t feel behind at all personally going this weekend. I know it was pretty cold there in the first race they had a lot of issues in qualifying and things like that. So, I anticipate a lot of that being better this weekend just with it being hot, it’s really hot this week. Which is a good thing. So I don’t feel behind at all.”

Chase Elliott says he doesn’t feel behind going into Atlanta even though he missed the race in March. He explains: pic.twitter.com/GttE6Ekrrg

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 6, 2023

Coming into his home race, Chase Elliott is hoping to put on a show again. Both Elliott and his father Bill are the only Georgia drivers to get a win in the Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Chase Elliott is running out of time

Ever since making his return from suspension following the Coca-Cola 600, Elliott has steadily improved. He came into Sonoma and finished P5. Then, he kept improving. Over the last few weeks, Elliott has threatened to compete for a win but it just hasn’t happened for him yet.

At Nashville, Chase Elliott finished P4. However, it didn’t feel like he made much of an impact in the race as Ross Chastain ran away with the checkered flag. Then, Elliott found himself the benefactor of the Chicago Street Race controversy. As the field flipped, he found himself in the top-5.

Elliott once again had nothing on the eventuall winner of the race, Shane van Gisbergen. So, can we expect something different this week?

Chase Elliott is one DNF away from seeing his chance at pointing into the playoffs disappear. He has to be more or less perfect moving forward. If he is able to get a win in the Quaker State 400, all of those worries melt away, though.