Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman leading the way for Chevy camp

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 24: Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, speaks with Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Patriotic Chevrolet, during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Without tremendous fanfare, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have risen to the top of the Chevrolet pecking order in recent weeks.

Elliott won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season on April 28 at Talladega Superspeedway. Bowman finished second. Elliott won the pole for Monday’s rain-delayed race at Dover and ran fifth. Bowman finished second.

And in final practice on Friday at Kansas Speedway, Bowman was second and Elliott sixth behind Kurt Busch, who has been solid all season long in his Hendrick-powered No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.

In fact, Elliott has accounted for the last four Chevrolet victories in NASCAR’s premier series—three last year to go with the Talladega win. But Elliott doesn’t feel as if he’s carrying the load for the car maker.

“It’s nice to have wins, obviously,” Elliott said. “I think, as a manufacturer, the more that we all run better, we’re all going to help each other, much like Alex’s good runs the past couple weeks. They’re good for the company as well.

“Just like I think Chevrolet having good runs is good for the manufacturer. I don’t necessarily think we’re carrying it. Any of the Chevrolets could have won Talladega, and that wouldn’t even be a relevant question. It’s nice to have won some races but, no, I think that narrative could have changed pretty easily a couple of weeks ago to somebody else.”

Elliott starts 5th Saturday, Bowman 10th.

Greg Engle