Chase Elliott likes the chicken wings at Hooters

(Hendrick Motorsports)
(Hendrick Motorsports)
(Hendrick Motorsports)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – One of the most iconic sponsors in NASCAR will be seen on the track once again starting in 2017. Hooters announced this week that they will sponsor the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy raced by Chase Elliott for two races this season. The restaurant chain will also be a full-season associate sponsor in each of the next two seasons.

The sponsor was familiar to fans of the late Cup champion Alan Kulwicki who raced a Hooter’s sponsored car in the 1992 season. A season which ended at the Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Kulwicki winning the series title by one point over Bill Elliott, Chase’s father.

This week Hooters and Chase Elliott unveiled the paint scheme the team will campaign. Included in the shoot were the famous “Hooters girls”, who are arguably more famous then what’s on the menu.

Tuesday Elliott met with the media for the first time since the announcement, facing the press at the NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 21-year old Elliott, who is single, and whose boyish good looks have caught the attention of many female NASCAR fans, showed just how polished he is becoming, starting with how he enjoyed his time during the Hooters shoot, surrounded by several Hooters girls.

“I had a lot of fun with it, and they’re a fun group of people,” Elliott said. “Not just the brand but the people they have to work with behind the scenes were easy and great to work with.”

“I got to stare – I didn’t get to eat – at a lot of chicken wings yesterday, which was tough but probably a good thing,” he added in a matter of fact tone. “I need to get back in the gym. But it was a lot of fun and I’m glad to have them on board. Their history with Alan Kulwicki is long, and he and my dad obviously had a great championship battle in 1992. That’s obviously kind of ironic to see that but very good. I know my dad had a lot of respect for Alan and what he did. Both my parents did. I think it’s pretty neat to carry the Hooters colors this year, so I’m looking forward to that. It’s definitely something different and something to be excited about.”

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.