After recovering from a fractured tibia, Chase Elliott will be back in the Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts No. 9 Chevrolet for Sunday’s NOCO 400 at Martinsville Speedway.
Elliott has been out of the car since the March 5 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, missing five races while rehabilitating in Colorado.
“We’re looking forward to having Chase back in his race car to pick up where he left off,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said in a release. “Since the injury, he’s worked extremely hard and focused all his time and energy on returning to the No. 9 team. Throughout the last six weeks, he’s stayed fully engaged with everything we’re doing, and we know he’s chomping at the bit to get on the racetrack and compete for wins.”
Along with the news of a return, Hendrick Motorsports states that it has received a waiver from NASCAR that makes Elliott eligible for the NASCAR Playoffs.
That becomes even more impactful with the new rules that do not require a driver to be in the top 30 in overall points to be eligible for a spot. If Elliott wins two regular season races at any time, he will be in the playoffs.
“Having such high-caliber drivers available was a huge benefit, especially under difficult circumstances,” president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Andrews said. “Josh and Jordan each brought a tremendous amount of professionalism to our team, and we’re truly grateful for their contributions. Their preparation and talent made a big difference. We can’t overstate it.”
Sunday’s race at Martinsville is set to kick off at 2:00 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1.
