Chase Elliott

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, this is Shelby and Aaron in Lebanon, Tennessee with Chase Elliot. Are you excited for the race this weekend? Yeah, super excited. This has been just a great stop on our calendar really ever since we started coming here.

[00:00:27] So, wish it was a little cooler but outside of that I think we're all super happy to be here. Yeah, the national heat is not the best. So you're having a really good sitting second in points right now.

[00:00:41] How does that change your mindset for the rest of the season? You already kind of have the win under your belt. Are you able to test new set ups and things like that or do you still approach every race kind of the same?

[00:00:51] I still think we're approaching things the same. Our season is so much about trying to get the bonus points for the final ten and the only way to get the bonus points is until the end of the race.

[00:01:04] The way this stuff is nowadays it doesn't really just give you an opportunity to totally go off the rails and experiment because the entirety of the season has a lot of meaning

[00:01:19] and a lot of value and if you're not taking advantage of that you're just going to end up hurting yourself. I was talking to Ryan Blaney and asked him, would you prefer a, you know you obviously

[00:01:33] already won a championship under this kind of format, would you prefer a pre-release final round or do you like the way it is? It's really hard for us in my opinion because of the way it currently is.

[00:01:51] There's a lot of cards on the table for one race and there are just so many variables that can happen in one event. Personally I'm not opposed to a full length season championship. I feel like there's been many years over the course of NASCAR's history that you've had

[00:02:09] two or three guys over just calculating the points from race number one all the way to 36 and it's come, it's ended up being really close. You're going to have years that it's not and I think that's something that in sports we're

[00:02:22] always wanting more, wanting that exciting moment but you can't manufacture that. I think it's okay to have a guy run away with it one year because it makes you appreciate a year where you have a really close run more. So I think having that balance is good.

[00:02:38] I think sometimes we try to manufacture entertainment a little more than we should but this is the system that it is and none of us make the rules. I think Matt Kenseth for that, wasn't he the one that won the championship the year that they changed it?

[00:02:53] I don't know. I have to think back on that. I know you're a pro but do you ever get nervous before races still? I don't anymore. I can say with a lot of confidence I feel like I'm to the point now where when you do it

[00:03:06] for a long period of time you find some repetition in just your weekly routine and your race day routine and honestly I feel like I've just been doing it long enough that you kind of get to the point where none of it bothers you from that standpoint.

[00:03:22] So I look forward to the races. I'm excited for the challenge and really just kind of immerse myself in the competition aspect of what I enjoy most and trying to challenge myself on that side.

[00:03:34] I was telling Shelby your dad was actually the first autograph from a NASCAR driver that I ever got back at Darlington in 2003. The race that Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven finished. How involved is he still with your career? Does he come to the races a lot?

[00:03:51] He doesn't come to as many races as he probably did earlier on in my career but like I tell a lot of people, he's been running the circuit for a long time so at this point it's like man I totally get it. Enjoy being home and enjoy retirement.

[00:04:07] You've had a wonderful career and I think he's finally doing that and taking some time to himself and doing the things that he wants to be able to do and that's earned. I think he's earned that.

[00:04:20] While you're on the road, I mean you've hit a million different cities. Nashville is probably one of the more fun ones. Are there certain spots you like hitting when you're in town? Honestly for race weekend not really.

[00:04:29] It's just the weekend comes quick and goes away quick but certainly I've taken trips up here on my free time with friends or whatever and enjoy coming to town. The downtown area has gotten crazy but there are some really cool spots in other parts

[00:04:52] of the city that I feel like are fun to go hang out and spend some time and obviously live music for me is one of my favorite things and anytime you bring live music into a restaurant or a bar, it makes it more fun.

[00:05:07] I know you're a big Eric Church fan and he's from North Carolina and we posted a video of him holding up your flag a couple years ago. How did that kind of friendship come about? Are you just a fan? Yeah, honestly just a fan.

[00:05:22] I know Eric a little bit now. Our paths have crossed a couple times and he's been gracious enough to say hey and we spent a little time together but I don't remember that last year.

[00:05:36] It was really neat to get to voice him one on one about some of the things that I admire and respect about him. But yeah, truthfully just a fan. I've always loved his music and whether I ever met the guy or not, I don't know if I

[00:05:54] would have spoken any words to him ever. I would still be a fan. I just appreciate his work. I appreciate how he goes about his business from the outside looking in and does a really good job on the professional community.

[00:06:09] Who are some other country music artists that you're a big fan of? Honestly I like a bunch of different stuff. Muscadine Bloodline has been one of my favorite groups. I've gotten to know those guys a little bit. Charlie and I became friends. We like to go golf together.

[00:06:29] We talked about Eric Churchill a lot. What's your favorite Eric Churchill? Always a tough question. I don't think he makes a bad one so that is always extremely hard. And truthfully he's one of very few artists that I feel like I can listen to an album

[00:06:50] the first time and like it but then in two or three years later I like it more. Or in a different way. It's just the craziest thing. I don't know what it is about him but he is probably the only artist that I've ever had

[00:07:06] that experience with from just a fan standpoint. I don't know if it's just you're growing up and you hear it a different way or you appreciate the words in a different manner or take them in a different light.

[00:07:21] I've always admired that about his music but Hold My Own I think is a great song. It's a song that has always grown with me. I feel like you can take that song a lot of different ways.

[00:07:31] I tried one of being on the road and just spending a lot of time away from home and whatnot. I always liked that one a lot. You mentioned golf, another sport that you might not be an expert at.

[00:07:42] Do you watch a lot of golf when you get the chance? Who are your favorite golfers? Yeah I love to watch. I really enjoy watching all those guys. I admire the game so much because it's so hard.

[00:07:55] I'm just amazed every time I turn the TV on and see those guys hit the shots they hit. It's just unbelievable. Max Holma, I feel comes to mind first. He seems like a really good and genuine dude. Obviously Scotty's success. He has a lot of spotlight on him.

[00:08:13] How can you not like that guy? Obviously he does really good. You see more of him than you do anyone else. He seems like a great guy. I really enjoyed watching Max.

[00:08:28] He has a really good head on his shoulders seemingly and a good attitude about life and golf. Being as lucky as he is to go and call that a job, he seems like he really has that understood well. He exemplifies that on the golf course.

[00:08:46] What is your daily driver? Chevy Tahoe. Nothing super fast or hot roddy. I'm all about getting from point A to point B. I can put the dog in the back and head on down the road.

[00:09:01] Last one, when you're with your fellow drivers, who would you trust the most with the aux and who would you trust the least? The most with the aux, Blaney. He and I definitely have similar tastes in music so that's always been fun road trips with him.

[00:09:22] Trust least with the aux. That's a tough one. We'll go with Joey Logano. Just something tells me that his music choice would not jive with mine. Blaney said Cendric listens to some weird shit. I can see that too.

[00:09:44] Thank you so much for your time and good luck this weekend. Really appreciate it. Looking forward to the race. Yeah, me too.