Chase Elliott has more to 'clean up' after P3 qualifying result at Indy

Despite a strong showing in qualifying for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, Chase Elliott feels he still has work to do. The 2020 NASCAR champion won’t be happy until he gets a win and earns his way into the playoffs. Could Sunday be the day it happens?

Daniel Suárez showed impeccable speed in the final qualifying round. He was the only driver to break 1:28.00 in that final round. So, the Trackhouse Racing driver is on the pole. Tyler Reddick finished second fastest, and then it was Chase Elliott.

Elliott likes that his car has speed, but he feels he has work to do himself. The good news, he likes his car and that means he has something to work with.

“Feel like the pace is in it so that’s good,” Elliott said, via Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. “Just a couple spots on track that I feel like I’m not, I’m not getting through very good. But the car is doing what I’m asking it to do so I’m just going to go to work on trying to clean up a couple of those areas.”

Chase Elliott is starting third and he feels there is pace in the car for Sunday, that he just needs to clean up some things on his end on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. pic.twitter.com/SVcZa1Qtck

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 12, 2023

Chase Elliott has a big task ahead of him. There are a number of fast cars and more than a few of the top-10 are fellow playoff bubble drivers. One mistake could mean that Elliott misses out and one of those other drivers makes it into the playoffs.

Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, and Ty Gibbs made the final qualifying round on Saturday. Throw in the threat of another Shane van Gisbergen win and the task ahead of Elliott seems considerably difficult.

Chase Elliott can’t afford a slip-up

Starting off third on Sunday, Elliott is in a good position to make the most of his day and put himself in a winning situation. However, he has to get to that point in one piece. The No. 9 team cannot afford to have a mistake or a slip-up tomorrow. If they do, it could sink their season officially.

Clearly, the biggest threat has to be Daniel Suárez. The last thing Elliott or the other bubble drivers want is another bubble driver winning. It takes up one of the last few sports available and forces more drivers into a must-win situation with two weeks to go.

There was a time when Elliott was the king of the road course. In the last generation of cars, Elliott produced a stunning seven wins in just eleven starts. In his last 11 road course starts, he has no wins.

With P3 locked up for the race tomorrow, Chase Elliott knows what he has to do, and who he has to beat to claim the checkered flag and make his way into the playoffs.