Kimberly Grace Bowman
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Déjà Vu And The Road To Number One
July 1st, 2017
I think everyone has experienced this at some point in their life. You’re doing your best and boom. Every single person around you seems to be having way more success than you are in any given area. So you somewhat shrink back into your hole and wish the whole world would look you over and let you be. Or you choose to forget about those around you (to a certain extent) and still forge onward towards the success you know is just around the corner if you don’t give up. I think we owe Chase Elliott some of the latter advice as we delve into the second half of the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series.
This year, I think, will eventually and aptly be nicknamed, “The Year of the First-Time Winner”. So far this year, we have had three individual first-time winners. One of which just earned their second win of the series this past weekend at Daytona. Drivers like Ryan Newman have broken a rather lengthy winless streak in 2017 also. I can imagine being in your second year of racing and seeing all this success exploding around you can work on your psyche really well and convince you that you’ve been left in the shadow. Even this year’s second round at Daytona could have spelled déjà vu for Elliott who as you will remember gave the grass a nice cutting in 2016.
Let’s face it. Things have not been going well for Elliott this year. There is no way around this fact. But! Let’s not count him out just yet. Why? Well, so far, Chase Elliott has the exact same stats as Jeff Gordon did in his second year of racing in the top tier of the sport. That’s right. The EXACT same basic statistics. And the year isn’t even over yet.
In 1991, Jeff Gordon finished off his second year in the Busch Series with 5 top-fives and 10 top-tens. He also capped off the year with a single pole position. So far, Chase has these exact same numbers; and we are only a little over half-way through the season. Moreover, Elliott has the opportunity to exceed these numbers. So what if he hasn’t won a race yet. Greatness never came easily. And Jeff Gordon didn’t win his first race until his third full season. He would walk away from 1992 with three wins total. And I don’t think he was any less legendary in any of our minds just because his first two years were winless.
Now, I’m not saying I wouldn’t be happy to see Chase capture the checkered flag before his third year comes around. But if I could encourage him in any way, I’d say, don’t give up, learn, and stay on the path you’re taking. Just because you don’t see a clearing in the trees doesn’t mean the road is taking you in the wrong direction. Who knows! Maybe “The Year of the First-Time Winner” is saving the best for last. With a five-year contract extension under his belt, I’d say the future is far from bleak for the twenty-one year old.
Elliott comes away from a rather intense Independence Day weekend Daytona race with a big, grassy disappointment and a 22nd place finish after starting in 2nd. Considering the nature of the July racing event, he should take heart that he was not alone in what was quite the demolition derby throughout the night. Coming into Kentucky, last year was a disheartening moment as the two top rookies found themselves out of top contention in the 2016 event. Hopefully, that won’t be the case this year and another first-time winner is in order for this week’s Saturday night event at Kentucky Speedway.
Follow and chat with me here: @kimberlygrace__
July 1st, 2017
I think everyone has experienced this at some point in their life. You’re doing your best and boom. Every single person around you seems to be having way more success than you are in any given area. So you somewhat shrink back into your hole and wish the whole world would look you over and let you be. Or you choose to forget about those around you (to a certain extent) and still forge onward towards the success you know is just around the corner if you don’t give up. I think we owe Chase Elliott some of the latter advice as we delve into the second half of the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series.
This year, I think, will eventually and aptly be nicknamed, “The Year of the First-Time Winner”. So far this year, we have had three individual first-time winners. One of which just earned their second win of the series this past weekend at Daytona. Drivers like Ryan Newman have broken a rather lengthy winless streak in 2017 also. I can imagine being in your second year of racing and seeing all this success exploding around you can work on your psyche really well and convince you that you’ve been left in the shadow. Even this year’s second round at Daytona could have spelled déjà vu for Elliott who as you will remember gave the grass a nice cutting in 2016.
Let’s face it. Things have not been going well for Elliott this year. There is no way around this fact. But! Let’s not count him out just yet. Why? Well, so far, Chase Elliott has the exact same stats as Jeff Gordon did in his second year of racing in the top tier of the sport. That’s right. The EXACT same basic statistics. And the year isn’t even over yet.
In 1991, Jeff Gordon finished off his second year in the Busch Series with 5 top-fives and 10 top-tens. He also capped off the year with a single pole position. So far, Chase has these exact same numbers; and we are only a little over half-way through the season. Moreover, Elliott has the opportunity to exceed these numbers. So what if he hasn’t won a race yet. Greatness never came easily. And Jeff Gordon didn’t win his first race until his third full season. He would walk away from 1992 with three wins total. And I don’t think he was any less legendary in any of our minds just because his first two years were winless.
Now, I’m not saying I wouldn’t be happy to see Chase capture the checkered flag before his third year comes around. But if I could encourage him in any way, I’d say, don’t give up, learn, and stay on the path you’re taking. Just because you don’t see a clearing in the trees doesn’t mean the road is taking you in the wrong direction. Who knows! Maybe “The Year of the First-Time Winner” is saving the best for last. With a five-year contract extension under his belt, I’d say the future is far from bleak for the twenty-one year old.
Elliott comes away from a rather intense Independence Day weekend Daytona race with a big, grassy disappointment and a 22nd place finish after starting in 2nd. Considering the nature of the July racing event, he should take heart that he was not alone in what was quite the demolition derby throughout the night. Coming into Kentucky, last year was a disheartening moment as the two top rookies found themselves out of top contention in the 2016 event. Hopefully, that won’t be the case this year and another first-time winner is in order for this week’s Saturday night event at Kentucky Speedway.
Follow and chat with me here: @kimberlygrace__
Image Courtesy: @NAPARacing on Twitter
Tearing Off The Rookie Stripe
February 26th, 2017
I usually find it very humorous when I listen to a driver’s interview and the interviewer asks what the driver’s goal is going into a race or what they are hoping to see in upcoming performances. Why? Well, it’s silly really. Every time the reply is obvious. They want to win! Who would ever want to become a professional racer with the career goal to finish fifth or twenty-fifth each race?
If you ever hear a driver say that, wake up. Because you’re dreaming. A real racer will never say that. That said, I have to say my doubts about the new racing format are slowly levelling out and being sorted out. Stage racing and the newly-integrated points system sounded confusing to me at first. But now that I have seen the format in action, I can see how it may improve racing. And while it seemed to create havoc in the trucks and Xfinity series this past weekend, I feel it was harnessed well in the Monster Energy Cup Series’ premier Daytona 500 event.
When I first read of the changes that were coming, I was concerned that this would be a turn for the worse for the new generation of racers who have a respect for the old ways. And while I still harbor my concerns in mind, I think perhaps this new format will put that racing fire back under the drivers like their forerunners had. And although that fire hasn’t been eliminated, perhaps it has been sequestered over time. And if this new format of racing will revive the sport back to the spirit of its glory days in light of all the differences that have taken place between then and now, then I suppose I can give it a chance. The jury’s still out for me. But I’m willing to give it chance.
Chase Elliott gave the format a very good run for its money in his second ever career Daytona 500 start on Sunday. Unlike his last valiant effort, Chase managed to bring his car home in one piece, avoiding the grass for a top-20 finish to end the day. But that wasn’t what he nearly came away with! With only laps remaining in the final stage of the race, Chase unfortunately lost the lead to his battling fellow racers when he ran out of fuel, making his loss one to blame on failed fuel strategy. He left Daytona with a 14th place finish and 8th place clinch in the points after securing 33 series points.
“Lessons learned the hard way,” Chase admitted via Twitter following the intense season opener. And his 2017 Daytona 500 is just that…a lesson learned. Still, Elliott has little to be ashamed of after race number one. He drives like a veteran, impressing the best in the sport while leading the field in such a smooth way as if he’s been doing this for ages. In reality, this is merely his second year of many.
Chase Elliott’s 2016 season was not one of frequent victory lane visits. And I have to confess that Chase’s late race loss of the lead reminded me of his rookie season significantly in which he lost to someone else in many races last season. But the year is far from over.
Coming out of your rookie year with ten top-fives, hundreds of laps led, and a clinched position in the first two rounds of the Chase is not a bad way to hang your helmet up and call it a year. Especially when it’s your very first season, and you’ve stepped into the shoes of one of the most legendary drivers in the entire sport. Chase Elliott experienced his share of highs and lows, as any driver will tell you comes with the territory, of feeling your way through this rigorous sport.
His first Daytona 500 weekend was graced with an Xfinity series win before he would go on to greet the infield grass the following day, bringing his Daytona 500 winning dreams to a halt early in the then Sprint Cup Series. He came away from that weekend with a pole though, making it his first of two he would acquire during the 2016 season.
Coming into 2017, he again gained the season opener pole position, making him the fifth driver to accomplish consecutive Daytona 500 poles. His father Bill Elliott also has his name on that list. Chase and his dad also became the fourth father and son duo to win Daytona 500 poles.
There is no doubt that you can expect great things from Chase and the entire 24 team this year. The engine is barely fired, and the race has just begun. We’ve still got lots of laps to put in the books, beginning with a home track run at Atlanta Motor Speedway this coming race weekend.
"Just try to be contenders each week—that's our main goal." – Chase Elliott (source: hendrickmotorsports.com)
Follow and chat with me here: @kimberlygrace_
February 26th, 2017
I usually find it very humorous when I listen to a driver’s interview and the interviewer asks what the driver’s goal is going into a race or what they are hoping to see in upcoming performances. Why? Well, it’s silly really. Every time the reply is obvious. They want to win! Who would ever want to become a professional racer with the career goal to finish fifth or twenty-fifth each race?
If you ever hear a driver say that, wake up. Because you’re dreaming. A real racer will never say that. That said, I have to say my doubts about the new racing format are slowly levelling out and being sorted out. Stage racing and the newly-integrated points system sounded confusing to me at first. But now that I have seen the format in action, I can see how it may improve racing. And while it seemed to create havoc in the trucks and Xfinity series this past weekend, I feel it was harnessed well in the Monster Energy Cup Series’ premier Daytona 500 event.
When I first read of the changes that were coming, I was concerned that this would be a turn for the worse for the new generation of racers who have a respect for the old ways. And while I still harbor my concerns in mind, I think perhaps this new format will put that racing fire back under the drivers like their forerunners had. And although that fire hasn’t been eliminated, perhaps it has been sequestered over time. And if this new format of racing will revive the sport back to the spirit of its glory days in light of all the differences that have taken place between then and now, then I suppose I can give it a chance. The jury’s still out for me. But I’m willing to give it chance.
Chase Elliott gave the format a very good run for its money in his second ever career Daytona 500 start on Sunday. Unlike his last valiant effort, Chase managed to bring his car home in one piece, avoiding the grass for a top-20 finish to end the day. But that wasn’t what he nearly came away with! With only laps remaining in the final stage of the race, Chase unfortunately lost the lead to his battling fellow racers when he ran out of fuel, making his loss one to blame on failed fuel strategy. He left Daytona with a 14th place finish and 8th place clinch in the points after securing 33 series points.
“Lessons learned the hard way,” Chase admitted via Twitter following the intense season opener. And his 2017 Daytona 500 is just that…a lesson learned. Still, Elliott has little to be ashamed of after race number one. He drives like a veteran, impressing the best in the sport while leading the field in such a smooth way as if he’s been doing this for ages. In reality, this is merely his second year of many.
Chase Elliott’s 2016 season was not one of frequent victory lane visits. And I have to confess that Chase’s late race loss of the lead reminded me of his rookie season significantly in which he lost to someone else in many races last season. But the year is far from over.
Coming out of your rookie year with ten top-fives, hundreds of laps led, and a clinched position in the first two rounds of the Chase is not a bad way to hang your helmet up and call it a year. Especially when it’s your very first season, and you’ve stepped into the shoes of one of the most legendary drivers in the entire sport. Chase Elliott experienced his share of highs and lows, as any driver will tell you comes with the territory, of feeling your way through this rigorous sport.
His first Daytona 500 weekend was graced with an Xfinity series win before he would go on to greet the infield grass the following day, bringing his Daytona 500 winning dreams to a halt early in the then Sprint Cup Series. He came away from that weekend with a pole though, making it his first of two he would acquire during the 2016 season.
Coming into 2017, he again gained the season opener pole position, making him the fifth driver to accomplish consecutive Daytona 500 poles. His father Bill Elliott also has his name on that list. Chase and his dad also became the fourth father and son duo to win Daytona 500 poles.
There is no doubt that you can expect great things from Chase and the entire 24 team this year. The engine is barely fired, and the race has just begun. We’ve still got lots of laps to put in the books, beginning with a home track run at Atlanta Motor Speedway this coming race weekend.
"Just try to be contenders each week—that's our main goal." – Chase Elliott (source: hendrickmotorsports.com)
Follow and chat with me here: @kimberlygrace_
Image courtesy: Chase Elliott facebook
