Chase Elliott reflects on suspension amid a tumultuous season

SONOMA, Calif. — Chase Elliott said it has felt like he’s missed about half of the NASCAR Cup Series heads.

It feels that way because he pretty much has.

Elliott missed six races earlier this year because of a broken leg suffered in a snowboarding accident. He then missed last Sunday’s race at Gateway near St. Louis because of a one-race suspension for an egregious right-rear-hook of Denny Hamlin’s car a week earlier at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver will start 10th Sunday at Sonoma Raceway — the 16th race of the season but only the ninth for Elliott — and in his required media session, he was reflective on his season.

“Not everybody is perfect, and mistakes are going to be made,” Elliott said. “You’re going to have tough times. That’s just part of it. I can’t change the things that have happened.

“I certainly wouldn’t want to miss the amount of races I’ve missed this year. … That’s not me doing my end of my job — that’s being here at the racetrack and doing my part for our partners and my team and my fans.”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps told FOX Sports last week that they hated having to suspend the sport’s most popular driver, but it was a decision that had to be made to remain consistent with the one-race suspension issued to Bubba Wallace last year for a similar intentional wreck of Kyle Larson.

Elliott said he respected NASCAR’s decision to suspend him.

“You look at the situation last year and I get it and I respect their decision,” Elliott said. “At that point in time when you get told that decision, you just put your head down and start thinking about the things you can control, because you certainly can’t go back and change the past.

“For me, it’s been all eyes on trying to go fast here and putting together a good race.”

Elliott watched the race last week from home as Corey LaJoie drove his car to a 21st-place finish. Missing a race for suspension was a little different than an injury, Elliott said.

“There were certainly different circumstances, but it’s never fun to sit at home while the race is going on and your job is happening, and you’re not a part of it,” Elliott said.

“I would say a little bit of a different feel. But still disappointing to not be here, regardless of circumstances.”

As the sport’s most popular driver, Elliott knows there were fans who have had tickets for races where he did not participate.

“I’m definitely sorry to the fans and the folks that were planning on going to the race that were going to watch me … that didn’t get to experience that,” Elliott said.

Elliott was granted a waiver to remain championship eligible — NASCAR rules require a driver to attempt to qualify for every race — but likely needs to win to make the playoffs.

He called Hamlin — who advocated for Elliott’s suspension — in the days following the accident but would not elaborate on their conversation.

“We had a really mature and good conversation,” he said. “I’ll leave it at that.”

As far as what he would do if he is in the situation again, Elliott said he just needs to perform better.

“Go faster and be in front of him — that’s the best way to fix it,” he said.

The 2020 Cup champion just hopes that he can have a different season going forward.

“I’m not proud of it by any means,” Elliott said about this season. “But we’re in the position that we’re in, and I can’t change the past.

“All I can do now personally and all we can do now as a team is keep our eyes focused forward.”

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.

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