• Kelly Crandall

Jan 30, 2026, 01:32 PM ET

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Elliott has three victories in the past two seasons. A disappointing fall off after he quickly racked up 18 in five seasons (2018 to 2022).

“It’s been a lot of hard work,” Elliott said. “There’s been a lot of really bad weekends and days that you go home just miserable, and you just want to, not throw in the towel, but figure it out. And I’m not even saying figure it out tomorrow, but one step. One step at a time.

“Look, Atlanta was a speedway race. Kansas, I thought we were actually really competitive throughout the day … and for that, I can be proud. We were in the picture and I can be super proud of that, of the efforts, and of the whole thing. So, I look for more weekends like that.”

NASCAR has reintroduced the Chase format this season as the way to crown its champion. The final 10 races will take the top 16 drivers in the standings and reset the field for championship contention. A race win also means more, as 15 more points will be awarded for such a triumph.

Does a format change mean it’s more important than ever for a driver to come out of the gate strong, such as winning at Bowman Gray and carrying that into the year? With as long a season as NASCAR has, there are bound to be plenty of ups and downs. Elliott is one of those who believes it will all average itself out and hopes that includes his team being in the picture when the Chase comes around.

“The really good drivers and teams,” Elliott said, “are always going to find their way to where they belong.”