Getty Chase Elliott before Phoenix race.
Chase Elliott had a rough 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. In addition to missing a half dozen races due to a snowboarding knee injury and a one-race suspension for intentionally wrecking Denny Hamlin at the Coca-Cola 600, he missed the playoffs and went winless in a season for the first time since 2017.
Many of his fans unsurprisingly called for changes to the team. The first one was unexpectedly announced December 2 on X when longtime Hendrick Motorsports spotter Eddie D’Hondt bid farewell to the No. 9 team.
Been a helluva run.. 12yrs, 26 wins, 2020 Champs🏆
Thank you to:
Mr. Hendrick @JeffGordonWeb @chaseelliott
Alan Gustafson👉468 races together, 26 wins & a🏆. Lastly, my dude Kevin Hamlin.🫶
A career to many, a wonderful lifetime memory, for us all.
Excited for what’s next. 🏁
“Been a helluva run. 12 yrs, 26 wins, 2020 Champs. Thank you to: Mr. Hendrick, Jeff Gordon, Chase Elliott, Alan Gustafson,” D’Hondt wrote. “468 races together, 26 wins & a [championship]. Lastly, my dude Kevin Hamlin. A career to many, a wonderful lifetime memory, for us all. Excited for what’s next.”
Chase Elliott Worked With Eddie D’Hondt Since Cup Series Debut
When Chase Elliott made his full-time Cup Series debut in 2016, he inherited the No. 24 car from Jeff Gordon, plus the four-time champion’s team, including crew chief Alan Gustafson and spotter D’Hondt.
In eight combined seasons with the No. 24 and No. 9 teams (transitioned in 2018), the crew recorded some impressive numbers, including 18 wins, 93 top-5 results, 152 top-10 finishes, and the 2020 championship.
The longtime spotter was in his ear each lap around the track, helping Elliott successfully navigate through the competition while offering encouragement when his driver was feeling down or frustrated and a voice of reason when things got heated with his fellow competitors.
Could There Be an Even Bigger Change Coming for Elliott in 2024?
What’s interesting about D’Hondt’s remarks was what he didn’t say. He didn’t mention retirement but instead talked about his excitement for what comes next. That would indicate that he will likely continue working in NASCAR, just not with HMS.
While some Elliott fans will view the spotter’s departure as a step in the right direction for the team in 2024, others have been more vocal and called for an even bigger move — the replacement of crew chief Alan Gustafson.
There’s no doubt the veteran crew chief had a lot to deal with throughout the 2023 campaign, with his driver missing multiple races. However, Gustafson didn’t help his cause with several unfortunate incidents, including a big blunder at the August 20 Watkins Glen race when the sport’s most popular driver inexplicably ran out of fuel in the final stage due to an egregious miscalculation on the pit box.
In addition, there were other times throughout the season when Elliott and his crew chief didn’t appear to be on the same page. One such incident occurred at the July 17 New Hampshire race when the driver got candid after Gustafson asked him about his car’s performance.
“I don’t feel like it’s any better,” the driver said over the team radio, as shown during the Radioactive segment of the July 18 episode of NASCAR Race Hub. “Just same s***.”
With the awards season officially behind, announcements of upcoming changes for the teams in the 2024 season should be occurring in the next month or so. Elliott and his fans already know he’ll have one different member on the No. 9 team.
Will there be more?