Winning a NASCAR race is special no matter where it comes. But there are just some tracks with races that are prominent above all others. In the NASCAR Cup Series, those races are called "crown jewels." 2020 Cup champion Chase Elliott has yet to win any of those events but has been very close on several occasions.
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The four major races in NASCAR are the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500.
2024 is special because NASCAR is making a return to the oval at Indianapolis, so the true Brickyard 400 is back on the schedule where it belongs. It is huge for the fans and the drivers as well. And Elliott has his eyes on the prize when it comes to that event, as it gives him a chance to continue another family legacy.
Many would think the "Great American Race" at Daytona would be the crown jewel at the top of Elliott's list, but winning the Brickyard is that race. His dad famously won the event in 2002, and that was the biggest win of Bill Elliott's career that Chase Elliott got to witness and be a part of.
Elliott shared his feelings about which major races are at the top of his list in an article by RJ Kraft from HendrickMotorsports.com.
"The one that is more meaningful to me is the Brickyard because I was old enough when my dad won (in 2002) to just very vaguely remember a few little things about it," Elliott said. "To be in the photos and whatnot I thought was cool. That one really hits closest to home for me. The (Coca-Cola) 600 would be great to win. Being partners with Coca-Cola now would make that even more special. We've had a couple of really good opportunities to win that race and didn't. I would love to check the box on all of them. Any race win is a big deal but certainly those are a little bigger."
His dad never won the 600, so if Chase were to pull that off, the Elliotts could officially say they have done it all in NASCAR.
After his disappointing 2023 campaign, 2024 could be the year Elliott finally checks off a crown jewel win — which he seems hungrier than ever to do.
