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Chase Elliott heads to Berlin Raceway seeking another Super Late Model crown jewel

brandon white
·4 min read
3

A noticeable change for Chase Elliott during the 2023 season has been his commitment to competing in more Super Late Model events.

With four starts already under his belt, Elliott is teaming up with his long time Super Late Model crew chief Ricky Turner once again for Wednesday’s Battle at Berlin 250 at Berlin Raceway.

Elliott has been working hard with Turner to match the pace of the best teams and drivers in the Super Late Model discipline. Although they are still making progress, Elliott is eager to see how fast his black No. 9 Chevrolet is when it takes the green flag on Wednesday.

“I have run more [Super Late Model races] this year than I have in the past,” Elliott said. “We have been working at it much like the [NASCAR Cup Series] side. We‘re just trying to get better and trying to get some momentum on that side of things too, so I‘m looking forward to going to Berlin.”

RELATED: Everything to know about the Battle at Berlin 250

It was through Super Late Models that the motorsports industry got their first glimpse at the talent Elliott possessed.

At 14 years old, Elliott was already starting to prove himself against established Super Late Model veterans with wins at tracks like Hickory Motor Speedway and Lanier Raceplex. The 2010 season would see Elliott earn his first crown jewel triumph, a victory in the physically and mentally taxing Winchester 400.

Elliott built on the confidence he obtained from winning the Winchester 400 by winning the Snowflake 100 in December of that year, which is the Pro Late Model support race to the prestigious Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway.

One year later, Elliott was a Snowball Derby champion, having earned that honor with a last-lap pass on D.J. VanderLey.

Elliott continued adding to his Super Late Model win total in the 2010s while simultaneously progressing through the NASCAR developmental ladder. Among his accomplishments were two more victories in the Snowflake 100, an All-American 400 win at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and his second Snowball Derby triumph in 2015.

A full-time schedule in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2016 forced Elliott to take a step back from Super Late Model competition. As Elliott racked up accolades in the Cup Series that included a championship in 2020, Elliott patiently waited for the right time and opportunity to get back into the discipline that defined his early years as a driver.

Chase Elliott during the ASA STARS National Tour ECMD 150 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17, 2023. (Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Chase Elliott during the ASA STARS National Tour ECMD 150 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17, 2023. (Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Everything aligned in 2023 for Elliott to climb back into a Super Late Model more regularly with Turner, who was instrumental in molding a young Elliott into one of the best Cup Series drivers today. The duo has yet to win since teaming back up, but their confidence has grown with each passing race.

Elliott is optimistic the knowledge obtained from his first four Super Late Model starts this year will finally pay off with a trophy as he heads to Berlin for the first time since 2015.

RELATED: Watch the Battle at Berlin 250 on FloRacing

Back when Berlin‘s endurance event was known as the Rowdy 251, Elliott never finished outside the top-five in three appearances and tallied two runner-up finishes, both of which were to Kyle Busch. He returned to the facility in 2015 for the Battle at Berlin 251, but once again had to settle for fourth while a young Erik Jones brought home a checkered flag.

With Jones one of many noteworthy names on the Battle at Berlin 250 entry list alongside William Byron, Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar and others, Wednesday presents a healthy challenge for Elliott as he goes up against familiar faces and the local heroes that make Berlin‘s weekly racing so vibrant.

The festive atmosphere prevalent at Berlin is one reason why Elliott chose to run the facility‘s longest event of the season. He hopes to entertain a packed house on Wednesday by parking his car in Berlin‘s Victory Lane and grabbing a $30,000 race-winning paycheck.

“[Berlin] has a lot of support from the local community,” Elliott said. “There are always great crowds and they put up a nice purse too, which in the asphalt world is a big deal. It‘s important for the racers to support these shows that put up a lot of money to win, because it doesn‘t happen all the time.”

Super Late Model racing has always been a vital part of Elliott‘s identity as a driver. Although it‘s been nearly eight years since his last Super Late Model win, Elliott is ready to add onto his successful legacy in the discipline that started when he was just a teenager.