Chase Elliott recently surged to the top of the NASCAR regular-season points standings, overtaking a longtime leader after the race at Dover Motor Speedway. With sixteen points on teammate William Byron, Elliott’s presence at the top has surprised some fans and insiders alike, especially given the intense competition this year.
Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Shane van Gisbergen have all won 3 or more races in this regular season. Chase Elliott? Just the one. However, what separates him from the rest atop the standings is his remarkable consistency. Now, even NASCAR insiders are taking notice, and while Elliott’s style may not be flashy, his results cannot be questioned.
The insider perspective on Chase Elliott’s approach
Throughout the 2025 season, Elliott has completed every race inside the top 20, including seven finishes in the top five and twelve in the top ten, while recently leading an impressive 238 laps at Dover Motor Speedway before a bad pit strategy call led to a sixth-place finish. Despite having just one win so far, his steady accumulation of points places him at the forefront of the championship hunt.
Doug Rice, a veteran NASCAR commentator and PRN Live host, recently emphasized the significance of Chase Elliott’s rise: “Chase Elliott is the new regular-season points leader, as he has sixteen points over the guy that seemingly has led it all year long in William Byron.” This shift surprised many because William Byron had dominated much of the season’s narrative. However, in Byron’s 8 races since Memorial Day weekend, he has finished in the top-10 only thrice, with 5 finishes outside the top-25! This is where Chase Elliott stands apart, and Kyle Petty likened his approach to the folklore of the tortoise and the hare.
For those unfamiliar, the story is about a race between a slow tortoise and a speedy hare. And while the hare takes an expected lead, it flounders on its way to the finish line. Meanwhile, the tortoise’s methodical and slow approach led it to win the race over the hare. Sounds a lot like William Byron v Chase Elliott, doesn’t it?
Kyle Petty on this point added, “What that does tell me is he’s [Chase Elliott] just been consistent… Mostly mediocre consistent, which has led him to lead the championship… He has run in the top five or top ten, top five, and run in the top fifteen or so, but he’s just there. He’s vanilla.” This consistency has kept Chase Elliott near the front every race, quietly accumulating valuable points. Petty continued, “When you look at Denny with four wins… Shane with three wins… Chase is just that guy. It’s a tortoise and the hare.” Denny Hamlin has four wins but also boasts 2 DNFs and multiple finishes outside the top-15. Kyle Larson has three wins, but also 2 DNFs and just two top-5 finishes in his last eight races.
Chase’s Lead pic.twitter.com/sa1kqoCxMl
— PRN (@PRNlive) July 24, 2025
This mindset emphasizes steady improvement and strong fundamentals. Elliott exemplifies this by taking calculated risks, like extending his tire stint at Sonoma for a top-five finish. He focuses on speed, execution, and consistent point accumulation, aligning with NASCAR’s playoff format to secure a strong position. While others may have more wins, his reliability and consistency make him a top contender, proving that steady performance can rival aggressive tactics in NASCAR.
Chase Elliott’s mindset ahead of Indianapolis
As the 2025 NASCAR season progresses toward the crown-jewel Brickyard 400, Chase Elliott has increasingly emphasized the importance of mental resilience alongside his consistent on-track performance. Rather than relying on sporadic wins or aggressive gambles, Elliott’s season-long strategy is rooted in steady execution and focus, a mindset reflected in his approach to one of NASCAR’s most challenging events.
The Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, featuring 160 laps on the historic 2.5-mile oval. Known for its challenging layout, IMS demands precision and patience, traits that suit Elliott’s racing style. The Hendrick Motorsports #9 also has personal reasons that make this track especially meaningful to him. “This race has always been important because it was one of the few races that I was old enough to be around that dad had won,” Elliott explained. Of course, Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott, was a former NASCAR star, competing in over 800 races throughout a lengthy career that included winning a championship, two Daytona 500s, and 44 Cup Series races, and the 2002 Brickyard 400.
Chase Elliott continued, explaining: “So I think because of that, it’s always been just a little more special than the rest. And certainly, one of the few wins that I was around for. But more than that, it was the only marquee, major if you will, win that I was around for. So, it’s always been really special. I always knew how much that race meant to him. And you know because of that, I’ve always had a lot of admiration for the event.”
Despite having the 2020 Cup Series Championship to his name, Chase Elliott is yet to taste success at a crown jewel event. He’s won the Daytona 500 pole twice, but never the race. And to start his tally with the Brickyard 400 would be something truly special. Elliott added, “It’s always been something in my mind that I would love to match and be able to share that moment with the shoe on the other foot. I feel like that would be really, really cool.” Given the added motivation, it would certainly be cool to see Elliott achieve his long-held ambition at Indianapolis this weekend.
So, with motivation from family history and missing personal achievements, Chase Elliott looks primed to enter esteemed company this weekend at Indianapolis. Do you think Chase Elliott can win the 2025 Brickyard 400? Let us know in the comments!
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