Breaking news
IMSA Daytona January Testing
Chase Elliott “making gains” as he pushes limits in Rolex 24 tests
NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott says he’s beginning to push his own limits ahead of his debut in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this weekend.
Charles Bradley
Edited: Jan 28, 2021, 2:38 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Elliott has joined the #31 Action Express Racing team, whose Cadillac DPi-V.R won Sunday’s qualifying race which set the grid for the Rolex 24, in the hands of Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr – despite starting from sixth on the grid.
With the Roar Before the 24 test taking place just a week before the race weekend, Elliott has been cramming in as much track time as possible.
“Been having a lot of fun with it, it’s been a big challenge,” Elliott told NBCSN. “I’m not sure I’m qualified to be on the points championship [leading] team! My teammates have been super patient trying to help me, I’ve been taking up their time in the car, but they’ve been awesome.
“I’m having to learn and learn fast, obviously with the race being next weekend, I’ve been trying to get up to speed. I feel like I’ve made some gains, I certainly don’t have it figured out, but these cars are different – I’ve never really driven a downforce car with the braking capability that these cars have. It’s been a big adjustment but [the] only way to learn is go do it.”
Read Also:
- IMSA Roar: Action Express Cadillac wins qualifying race
- Jimmie Johnson has “made a big step” says co-driver Kobayashi
When asked if he believed this extra-curricular activity would help his road course skills in NASCAR – which will run seven non-oval events in 2021, making up 20% of the schedule – Elliott replied: “I hope so, I definitely don’t think it hurts anything.
“My first day in the car here felt really different, kinda foreign,” he added. “It’s been interesting though, as I’ve found those limits and pushed myself towards getting to the car’s limits, it starts to feel like a racecar. And when that happens, it’s kinda universal, no matter what you’re driving.
“I was super pleased [Saturday] night, I started making some gains. When that was happening, I felt like my limits were in different places. I was pushing to find them, so I’m having a lot of fun with that – it’s just getting used to a new world.”
Read Also:
The DPi teams will have almost five hours more practice over two days available before Saturday’s twice-around-the-clock Florida sportscar classic begins.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Jimmie Johnson has “made a big step” says co-driver Kobayashi
Next article Tandy aiming for marquee endurance wins with Corvette
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Charles Bradley
Mika Hakkinen on his darkest day in F1
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mika Hakkinen on his darkest day in F1
Dillon: Spotter was “wrong” to shout “wreck him!” before Hamlin clash
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Dillon: Spotter was “wrong” to shout “wreck him!” before Hamlin clash
Hamlin: NASCAR stripping Dillon of win would be “warranted”
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Hamlin: NASCAR stripping Dillon of win would be “warranted”
More from
Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott withdraws his name from NASCAR Most Popular Driver voting
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Chase Elliott withdraws his name from NASCAR Most Popular Driver voting
Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix
Winners and losers from a crash-filled NASCAR Cup race at Gateway
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Gateway
Winners and losers from a crash-filled NASCAR Cup race at Gateway
Latest news
Why Aston Martin and Red Bull were asked about an unlikely F1 engine partnership
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
17 min
Why Aston Martin and Red Bull were asked about an unlikely F1 engine partnership
Audi F1 power unit division brings back CEO role
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 1 h
Audi F1 power unit division brings back CEO role
FIA partners with AWS to help drive future F1 regulations
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
FIA partners with AWS to help drive future F1 regulations
Chevrolet's 1st through 6th sweep at Talladega was its first since 2013
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
4 h
Chevrolet's 1st through 6th sweep at Talladega was its first since 2013
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe