Elliott Tunes Up For Coke 600 With Hickory Runner-Up

Chase Elliott (right) is interviewed Thursday at Hickory Motor Speedway. (Declan Wayman/Race Face Digital photo)

NEWTON, N.C. – As Chase Elliott gears up for Coca-Cola 600 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion took some extracurricular racing time and fueled his short-track passion Thursday night.

Setting his sights on legendary Hickory Motor Speedway with the ASA STARS National Tour, Elliott finished second to Colby Howard after a gutsy night in his latest return to super late model racing.

Elliott overcame damage sustained by contact on the right front fender of his No. 9 Fr8 Racing Chevrolet at lap three, resulting in Elliott losing a lap within the first 30 circuits of the Ross & Witmer 255.

The Dawsonville, Ga., native followed up with another visit to pit road later on in the event after getting back on the lead lap toward the end of the first stage.

Elliott clawed his way forward yet again by the final caution of the race, firing off from second with 40 laps to go after late mechanical issues befell mid-race dominator Cole Butcher, and quickly gave chase to Howard.

Though he maintained his composure for the remainder of the race, Elliott rode in the tire tracks of Howard, but time ran out for any moves to take the race lead to be made.

Chase Elliott in action at Hickory Motor Speedway Thursday. (Declan Wayman/Race Face Digital photo)

As the field took the white flag, the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet was within a second of Howard’s back bumper, but was no match for Howard, who drove away to the win by almost a second.

“It was a little slow to start there, for sure, but we got it patched back up and got it pretty good,” said Elliott of the early race damage he sustained. "I just needed a little bit there at the end. I was pushing hard, as hard as I could go. I just didn’t quite have enough.”

Elliott, who has been competing in the Ross & Witmer 255 at Hickory since 2023, has made a strong connection with the rustic .363-mile oval, captivated by the racing and fan experience.

“I enjoy it a lot,” he said of his selected super late model adventures these days. “We’re just chipping away, trying to get better every time we come. We were good here last year, but I thought we were a little better tonight than we were a year ago. We’ll try to find a win somewhere down the line.

“It’s just the people,” Elliott added. “This is a good group of guys (led by Ricky Turner) that I feel like I can help and feel like I can contribute to. I hope I am [contributing], at least, and not wasting their time. It’s a good tune-up for the rest of the weekend, too, just to get into a rhythm.”

While many competitors in the ASA STARS National Tour will head to Newport, Tenn., on Saturday, Elliott's focus moves to the longest race of the NASCAR campaign, Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

The goal for Elliott, who has crashed out of two of his last three Coca-Cola 600 starts, is simple.

“Try not to crash,” he quipped. “It seems like every year in the 600, we get collected in something and don’t make it to the end. If we can get there, I feel like we have what it takes to contend for a win.”

Elliott’s quest for his first Coca-Cola 600 victory from Charlotte will air live on Prime Video at 6 p.m. ET, with radio coverage on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.