Chase Elliott thinks Jimmie Johnson has a shot to win Indy 500

gettyimages-1011543850 — WATKINS GLEN, NY - AUGUST 05: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's for Pros Chevrolet, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, talk on the grid prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GoBowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 5, 2018 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Before he turns his attention to a 600-mile marathon at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday evening, Chase Elliott’s focus will be elsewhere.

Elliott’s former Hendrick Motorsports teammate, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, will take the green flag as a 46-year-old rookie in the Indianapolis 500 at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday.

“I’m super intrigued and I’m excited for him,” Elliott said before NASCAR Cup Series practice at Charlotte. “I think he has a legitimate shot at it, from what I’ve kind of kept up with. His performance at Texas (Motor Speedway, where Johnson finished sixth) I think impressed a lot of people. I wasn’t super surprised by that, just with as good as he is on ovals and how much oval experience that he has. So I think that’s really cool.

“Like I said, I feel like he’s got a shot at the win tomorrow. I’m going to try and keep up the best I can. I feel like our day is always getting kind of busy when that race is going on, or at least when it starts to wind down. It starts to get really good when we’re starting to do sponsor stuff. I’ll try to keep up with it. Hopefully he’s in the running and, if so, I might be late to one or two obligations if Jimmie is leading that thing coming down to the end.”

Not to throw cold water on Elliott’s expectations, but in 105 previous Indy 500s, only two drivers have won from 12th on the grid—Johnson’s starting spot.

And only 10 rookies have won the most prestigious IndyCar race. Alexander Rossi was the last to do so in 2016.