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Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has outlined his changed perception of racing on the Atlanta Motor Speedway ahead of the upcoming home race.
The qualifying run of the second race on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar is around the corner and is scheduled to flag off at 11.35 AM ET. Following Saturday's event, the 400.4-mile run, stretching across 260 laps, will take place on Sunday, February 25, at 3:00 PM ET.
2020 Cup Series winner Chase Elliott has just completed his Daytona 500 stint, finishing at P14. The 28-year-old Atlanta native is now gearing up for the Ambetter Health 400 race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
As he heads into the second race weekend of the season, the #9 Chevrolet driver opened up about not being an initial admirer of his home track. However, when the 400.4-mile track took the baton of hosting two races on the Cup Series schedule, the HMS driver's admiration for it grew.
Chase Elliott, in an official release by Hendrick Motorsports Media, explained how he became "biased" for his home track. He said (via Speedway Media):
“I wasn’t a huge fan of that when we just had one event there, but I think having two events (at Atlanta Motor Speedway), it has a really nice balance to it. I think it’ll be a nice mix because the weather, with what it’s going to be in February versus what it’s going to be when we come back in the playoffs is going to be totally different.”
Elliott added:
“The big thing is just having two events and I feel like that is a positive. There’s been a lot of work and a lot of effort put in at the track for not just the competitors but for the spectators too.
“Personally, I’m a little biased, but I think they deserve two races and I’m looking forward to going there twice.”
Chase Elliott "grateful" for his near-decade stint with Hendrick Motorsports
Back in 2016, the then 19-year-old Chase Elliott debuted in NASCAR Cup Series driving for Hendrick Motorsports. He initially took over Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevrolet before making his move to the #9 Chevrolet two years later. William Byron took over the #24 from there.
During a stint with the team that has lasted nine years, Elliott has secured several notable achievements. This includes 18 NASCAR Cup Series wins, the 2020 Cup Series championship and the 2020 NASCAR All-Star race victory at Bristol.
Moving forward, the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver awardee opened up about how his stint with Rick Hendrick-owned team is going. Chase Elliott said (via The Atlanta-Journal Constitution):
"It’s crazy how fast time has flown by. I’m grateful for it, there’s certainly been some tough days, but there’ve been some really good ones too and it’s important to enjoy those when you have them because you never know if or when you’re going to have good days like that again."
He added:
"What Rick (Hendrick) has built and the legacy that he’s left on motorsports. He’s done a lot for a lot of people within the racing industry, myself included. So, I’m grateful to be a part of that family, it’s really neat. I don’t know many of the next 40 I’ll be around for, but (I) certainly hope it lives on beyond that."
