NASCAR ace Chase Elliott enters Dover with a quiet Hendrick record no one else touches

Chase Elliott returns to familiar territory this weekend as the grid heads to the steep concrete banks of Dover Motor Speedway. While the headlines heading into Sunday's AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 may revolve around playoff pressure and charter politics, the No. 9 team shows up carrying one of Hendrick Motorsports' most remarkable active streaks.

There has been at least one Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the top 10 at Dover for 25 consecutive Cup races since September 2010. No other team even comes close to that consistency, and Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have been the sharpest ends of that sword. Larson finished in the top 10 in 12 of his 16 starts at the oval, while Elliott in ten out of his 14 races.

Chase Elliott (9) races alongside teammate Kyle Larson (5) during the Daytona 500. Source: Imagn

Elliott's calm, controlled march through the 2025 season has gone largely under the radar, but Dover could be the weekend it all peaks. Not only is this Elliott's best track in terms of top-five finishes (10 in total, including a win in 2018), but he also shares the best average finish (5.7) at Dover in the Next Gen era, tied with Ross Chastain.

After two back-to-back road course weekends, Dover represents a return to a more familiar oval challenge for the Cup Series drivers. The last eight oval races have produced eight different winners.

(L-R) Chase Elliott, William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson at Sonoma, 2022. Source: Getty

While Kyle Larson remains the best at Dover in terms of long-term average (8.2), recent runs show Elliott's matching that pace. Meanwhile, Alex Bowman has five top fives in his last seven starts at the Monster Mile, and Byron leads the Cup field in speed and restart metrics despite a dip in form over the past 10 races.

For Elliott, this weekend is about preserving a quiet dominance few fans are talking about. If he can conquer Dover again, he might just enter the postseason as the most balanced driver in the field.

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Mr. Consistent Chase Elliott extends top-20 streak at Sonoma

Chase Elliott signs autographs before the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350. Source: Getty

While Shane van Gisbergen's road course dominance has hogged the spotlight in the past few weeks, Chase Elliott has quietly racked up 20 consecutive top-20 finishes.

A late-race pit gamble at Sonoma saw him restart 14th with 11 laps to go. But Elliott charged back to finish third. Despite two late race stoppages, Elliott still emerged as the highest-finishing Hendrick driver.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (9) after his practice run at Sonoma Raceway. Source: Imagn

His average finish of 10.2 leads all full-time competitors in the Cup Series, ahead of Christopher Bell (12.3) and Denny Hamlin (13.6).

The last time the No. 9 fell out of the top 20 was the Las Vegas fall race in 2024, due to mechanical issues. Since then, it's been nothing but steady and methodical points accumulation. He's peaking at the right time and is just 14 points behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron in the regular-season standings.

And as NASCAR returns to a track where both he and Hendrick Motorsports thrive, it's clear the quietest contender might just be the most dangerous one.