Chase Elliott to honor WWII prisoner of war Clifford Strickland with Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme

Chase Elliott’s paint scheme for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway next Sunday will honor Technician Fifth Grade (TEC5) Clifford Strickland.

Strickland died a prisoner of war during World War II in July 1942. His remains were not accounted for until late last year and he will be buried in Colorado next month, per Kelly Crandall of RACER. Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet will feature a dark digital camo pattern with NAPA branding in white lettering.

The No. 9 NAPA Chevy is set to showcase a patriotic livery in remembrance of TEC5 Clifford Strickland and all our fallen heroes this upcoming Memorial Day weekend at @CLTMotorSpdwy 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/zZR79GEWQL

— NAPA Racing (@NAPARacing) May 14, 2024

Merchandise for the patriotic paint scheme is currently available at Elliott’s online store. Elliott will be looking for his first career Coca-Cola 600 victory. He finished as the runner-up in 2020 and again in 2021.

The 2020 Cup Series champion got off to a slow start this season but has been on a tear of late. Elliott snapped a 42-race winless streak at Texas and has tallied five top 5s in his last seven starts. He finished P12 in this past Sunday’s race at Darlington after starting in the 31st position. Elliott currently sits fourth in the points standings, trailing only Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin.

Chase Elliott set for appearance in NASCAR All-Star Race

Elliott is set to take part in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro this Sunday, an event he’s had success in. He won the 2020 event at Bristol and finished P5 in last year’s race, won by Larson, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate.

NASCAR returned to North Wilkesboro last year for the first time since 1996. Elliott said at this time last year that the future of racing at North Wilkesboro would depend on support from NASCAR and its fans.

“Ultimately, you have to ask yourself – why did these places shut down in the first place? Well, it was because people quit supporting them, but now it’s cool to bring it back,” Elliott said. “So, it’s like which one do you want to do … do you want it or not? I think we all have to ask ourselves that and the people that support racing need to ask themselves that, too.

“If we don’t support this stuff, then it’s going to go away. It’s just how it works.”