Chase Elliott reveals his favorite NASCAR memories from dad Bill Elliott’s career

Chase Elliott doesn’t just race in NASCAR, he’s lived the sport for his entire life. Before him it was his dad Bill Elliott racing around. Of course, most of Awesome Bill’s success came before his son could really remember much, or just before he was born in general.

However, Bill had a bit of a revival late in his career. Joining up with Ray Evernham, Bill was able to be competitive and even win some races in the early 2000s. This was the time Chase remembers so fondly looking back on his childhood.

Speaking with Kevin Harvick on the Happy Hour podcast, Chase Elliott opened up about those years. With Evernham, Bill Elliott would win at Homestead-Miami, Pocono, Indianapolis, and Rockingham between 2001-2003.

“As a kid, I would say the most special time I had growing up was when dad went over to Rya’s there in what, 2000, 2001, 2002. I was just old enough to barely remember some of that, and I was just kind of old enough to start realizing how cool this was and obviously the state that NSACAR was in at that point in time was high. It was incredible and I mean, my gosh, your dad was a part of this show that was just on another level.

“I probably didn’t realize it as much then but looking back on it makes me appreciate it more I can just tell the genuine joy he was getting out of running good again because he hadn’t been,” Elliott explained to Harvick. “He hadn’t won a race in a long time, they ran terrible for a few years when he tried to do his own thing.”

Those couple of trips to Victory Lane have stayed with Chase Elliott throughout the years.

“It was just really fun, and I remember in particular, I remember going to Victory Lane with him at Pocono. I remember eating popcorn at the Pop Secret 400 at Rockingham in Victory Lane. I think he beat Jimmie that day. Just thinking back on that stuff is so cool.

“Realizing just how much fun he was having at that point in time and now knowing how hard it is to be competitive at this level and for him to have gone through a period that was such a struggle to kind of come back and get back in the mix at an older age and mix it up with the young guys is pretty neat.”