LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) - Chase Elliott prefers to view a really difficult season as alternative, not strain.

The 2022 Cup Series champ who received a career-high 5 races final yr taking the common season title sits twenty seventh within the factors standings as NASCAR returns from the lone break in its 38-race season. Elliott has began solely 9 of 16 races. A leg damaged whereas snowboarding value him six begins, a suspension one other.

The Cup Series’ hottest driver 5 years working sits 278 factors behind chief Martin Truex Jr. with time working out to qualify for the playoffs.

“We’re in a tough spot, but I think it’s a good opportunity to go and have some fun and embrace the challenge,” Elliott mentioned. “And that’s really kind of where my head’s at.”

All of NASCAR - Elliott particularly - must be rested up for the stretch run beginning Sunday night time with the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.

The 27-year-old Elliott must be a bit extra rested than others after serving that suspension at St. Louis for wrecking Denny Hamlin at Charlotte. He completed fifth at Sonoma going into the break.

Elliott additionally survived a virtually seven-hour marathon to win at this monitor a yr in the past. He and the remainder of his Hendricks Motorsports’ teammates on the No. 9 Chevrolet began poorly and used the climate delay to regulate properly sufficient to win.

“A lot’s changed in the course of the year,” Elliott mentioned.

One win would repair rather a lot, and 4 of the ten tracks left within the common season are locations Elliott has received 5 of his 18 profession Cup wins. Competition is tight with solely 32 factors separating the highest seven drivers.

Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. is curious to see how Elliott responds to the problem down the stretch. Elliott’s absence earlier this yr affected TV viewership, and never making the playoffs might solely ramp up the strain. Earnhardt mentioned he’s assured in Elliott’s method and persona to assist now.

“When he goes home and he disconnects from the sport, I think he does a really good job of putting himself in places where he can let go and where he can get away from that overbearing pressure,” Earnhardt mentioned.

PICKING UP FROM SONOMA

His second victory this yr and taking the factors lead made the break very satisfying for Truex.

“I’m still winning,” Truex mentioned with a smile.

Truex has 5 high fives and eight high 10s this yr, but he can’t chill out with solely a 13-point lead over William Byron. Truex remembers solely too properly going winless final yr, not simple for the 2017 Cup champ.

Being within the second season with the Next Gen automobile has made it simpler for Joe Gibbs Racing with Truex’s No. 19 Toyota. Truex mentioned it appears like they've a bit extra margin for error mixed with producing a sooner automobile extra constantly. That helps each the workforce’s confidence and decision-making.

“Fast race cars make everything a lot easier, and it’s always been that way and it’ll always be that way,” mentioned Truex.

CHECK THE CHANNEL

NBC Sports begins its portion of the NASCAR tv bundle at Nashville by the top of the season. Sunday night time’s race is amongst 10 Cup Series races on NBC itself, together with the ultimate six races of the playoffs capped by the championship at Phoenix on Nov. 5.

Earnhardt referred to as Nashville an unimaginable market to kick off NBC’s protection this season with the monitor producing some nice racing. The Next Gen automobile matches this 1.33-mile monitor that's the longest concrete-only oval on the NASCAR collection.

“This car races really well at these type of racetracks, the bigger mile, mile-and-a-half racetracks. This race will be an entertaining race for sure. We have just a lot going on,” Earnhardt mentioned of all of the story strains.

MATURING TRACK

Defending Cup champ Joey Logano enjoys racing on the Nashville Superspeedway rather more than in the course of the monitor’s early years. He received a race right here in 2009 and recalled how drivers had been restricted to working one, typically two lanes making the racing boring.

“I guess that’s why people stopped coming, and it went out of business,” Logano mentioned. “But now, like the track’s three to four lanes wide, and the racing has gotten a lot better.”

The final race was held right here in 2011. Drivers stored coming, making the monitor a well-liked testing spot. Dover Motorsports moved considered one of its Cup races to Nashville and introduced NASCAR again in 2021 with the primary Cup race within the space in 37 years. Speedway Motorsports purchased Dover in November 2021.

ODDS AND ENDS

Truex is tied with Kyle Larson, who received the inaugural Cup race at this monitor in 2021, as the favourite to string collectively back-to-back wins at 5/1, in keeping with FanDuel Sportsbook. William Byron and Denny Hamlin are proper behind them at 7/1.

Larson is the 5/1 favourite to win the Cup Series title for a 3rd straight general even with the break.

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