Chase Elliott to feature in NASCAR’s COTA race, albeit not as a driver

Chase Elliott will be on the NASCAR on FOX broadcast for the race at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on Sunday. Elliott will miss his fourth race in a row while recovering from a fractured tibia sustained in a snowboarding accident earlier this month.

He underwent successful surgery, and according to the team's announcement on Tuesday, March 7, the anticipated recuperation period is six weeks.

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During the race, Chase Elliott will serve as a remote commentator. In 2021, he and the No. 9 squad won the inaugural event on the 20-turn, 3.41-mile road circuit. This was also Chevrolet's 800th triumph.

Elliott has the most road course wins among current drivers and the third-most in series history, so he knows a thing or two about serpentine layouts. He will be joined in the booth by Kurt Busch and Guenther Steiner on Sunday.

Josh Berry drove the No. 9 Chevy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, and Atlanta Motor Speedway while Elliott was injured. Jordan Taylor, a road racing star, will drive in the 68-lap race at COTA, replacing Chase Elliott this weekend.

After Chase Elliott's accident, NASCAR drivers assess hazards of leisure activities

Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports suffered a leg injury in a skiing accident a few weeks ago in Colorado. It ruled him out of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas International Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports used to frown on its drivers participating in sprint car races and other risky activities. Team owner Rick Hendrick has relaxed that restriction in recent years, and team president Jeff Andrews stated that he does not expect it to be altered.

Elliott's family has lived in Vail for several years, and he is an exceptional snowboarder. Some of his excursions have included Ryan Blaney and William Byron. The latter, who is Elliott's teammate, won the Cup race in Las Vegas on Sunday. He has also snowboarded in his spare time.

"The best thing for a race car driver during the week is to try to let the stress go. It's a very stressful sport. It's high intensity, high adrenaline, and you have to find something," Byron said.