In one of the most expected news items in the NASCAR garage Hendrick Motorsports announced Sunday that Chase Elliott and the team have signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2027 season.
The team said the agreement was signed Saturday afternoon.
Hendrick first signed Elliott in February 2011, when he was a 15-year-old high school freshman. Since then, the 26-year-old has won 21 races across all three of NASCAR’s top series and the Xfinity title in 2014, and the Cup title in 2020.
“I feel so fortunate to be in this position,” said Elliott. “I have a great team with leadership from Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and the support of the best car owner and racing organization in the world. For me, there’s a lot of pride in driving for Hendrick Motorsports and having the opportunity to win races and compete for championships. We are capable of accomplishing a lot more and it starts today.”
Elliott has been voted by fans as the NASCAR Cup Series’ most popular driver in each of the last four years. In 2017, he established the non-profit Chase Elliott Foundation, which provides support and financial assistance to well-qualified charitable organizations with an emphasis on helping others live healthier, happier lives. It has raised thousands of dollars in support of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and other important causes.
“Chase is a champion on and off the track,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “His talent inside the race car is undeniable, and he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do. This is a young man who is mature beyond his years, comes from an incredible family, and is humble, hardworking and never takes anything for granted. As long as Chase is driving, we want him right here with Hendrick Motorsports. This is an exciting way to start the season, and we look forward to many, many more together.”
Hendrick talked about the extension during a Thursday media availability that new contracts were coming soon for Elliott and also William Byron, who drives the team’s No. 24 Chevrolet. “Probably any time pretty soon,” Hendrick said then. “I want those guys to be with us forever, and they’ve told me they want to be here, so I’d say you should hear something on that pretty soon.”
Byron signed a two-year contract extension in September 2020 that is set to end after this season. Hendrick Motorsports’ other two drivers are signed through the 2023 season: Defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson added one year to his deal in July 2021; Alex Bowman signed a two-year extension in June 2021.
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.
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