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Kevin Harvick claims Chase Elliott’s triumph at Texas is a 'huge' win for NASCAR

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Justin P Joy | Last updated 4/19/24

Last weekend’s Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway witnessed 2020 NASCAR Cup Champion Chase Elliott ending his 42-race winless streak with a solid performance. He went winless last season due to a snowboarding injury and it cost him a spot in the playoff. Coming into the 2024 season he was determined to redeem himself and he finally got it last Sunday.

According to the 2014 Cup champion Kevin Havick, the win of No:9 Chevy driver has more significance to the sport. He pointed out that everyone in NASCAR needed to see Chase Elliott to succeed again. The ex-SHR driver also highlighted the pressure that was on the shoulders of the Dawsonville native to deliver this season.

Huge win for our sport. We all need him to be successful and sometimes he feels that pressure and I would assume that it probably weighs on him a little bit. He's had a ton of things that have weighed on him really over the last couple of years with his injury, getting suspended, switching to the new car. Kevin Harvick said via Happy Hour podcast.

Harvick isn’t the first retired racer to highlight the importance of Elliott’s win for NASCAR. Ex-racer Kyle Petty has also claimed that the No:9 teams win was something the sport really needed as it gives them more exposure. This because of the fact that the HMS star is the most famous and loved driver among the passionate fan base.

Kevin Harvick highlights one special aspect of Chase Elliott’s win

The ex-Champion applauded Rick Hendrick for sticking with the same No:9 crew in the last two season despite the poor run. There were a lot of calls for the ousting of Alan Gustafson from the crew chief role, but HMS was confident the crew is capable bounce back and they just needed some time for it.

The thing that I love about this particular situation is the fact that there was no crew chief change, there was no team change. It was just 'Hey we're going to work through this and we're going to figure out what it takes to get you through this.' I'm happy that that winless streak is over. Kevin Harvick said.

Chase Elliott win seems to be start of many more to come as the No:9 team really earned the triumph on last Sunday. He has secured a playoff spot and after a long-time has put him back in the championship conversation.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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