Elliott considers Bristol night race one of sport’s crown jewels
BRISTOL — Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s six-time most popular driver as voted by the fans, and as a second-generation driver who has been around the sport for his entire life, didn’t hesitate one second when asked the probing question.
Is the Bass Pro Shops Night race one of NASCAR’s crown jewels?
It’s a hot topic of late among media and fans, who say Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600, Darlington’s Southern 500, the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 are all among the sport’s majors. America’s Night Race at Bristol, with tremendous crowds, TV ratings, amazing hype, an electric vibe and historic finishes, has been bounced around in the crown jewel conversation and for many, including most of Elliott’s peers in the Cup Series, they agree that NASCAR has five majors, and Bristol’s Night Race is one of them.
“I think it is,” Elliott said. “I’ve always thought that is one of, if not the coolest race of the year… We don’t get a lot of places that give you that type of energy, so it’s fun to do that once a year. And that’s part of the reason why it’s special.”
Elliott will return to Bristol on Saturday, Sept. 21, for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race with a huge fan-following behind him as he will be one of the 16 championship contenders battling in the cut-off race during NASCAR’s Round of 16 playoffs. Once the checkered flag falls, there will only be 12 championship contenders remaining. Four drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs.
Elliott has run very well at the unique .533-mile short track in his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy over the years. In 2020 he won the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the only time the showcase event has been contested on the storied high banked oval.
“It was cool,” Elliott said. “A great night, for sure. Everything kind of went our way, and we’ll see what happens when we go back…”
The stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will join Elliott as they take to the track on Saturday for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., USA Network, PRN Radio). The field will include drivers like Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick racing to advance in the first elimination race of the playoffs.
Track officials are making the 80-page commemorative souvenir program available for free in both printed and digital formats. To learn more
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