Elliott Longs for Second Chance to Kiss Indy’s Bricks
A young Chase Elliott with his dad following Bill Elliott’s 2002 Brickyard 400 win. (Indy Star Photo)
To this day, Chase Elliott doesn’t remember why he didn’t do it when he had the chance.
His dad, Bill, had just won the 2002 Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Team and family members lined up to kiss the yard of bricks that make up the start-finish line at the legendary 2.5-mile oval. But, for whatever reason, Elliott refused to take part in the relatively new tradition.
“I don’t know.. I was six (years old). (Laughs) You tell me.. I have no idea why I was uninterested. But yeah, I was uninterested. I don’t really know why, I just didn’t want to do it. I don’t know if I thought it was weird or what, but I was anti-kissing the bricks that day. I just did not want to do it. If I could ask myself why six-year-old me didn’t want to do that, I’d ask and give you a better answer. I really don’t know, but I didn’t.”
Now age 28, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion longs for a second chance to kiss the bricks. Elliott came close last year, finishing second to winner Michael McDowell on Indy’s road course.
With Sunday’s 30th Anniversary Brickyard 400 presented by PPG, NASCAR is also getting a second chance, having moved its Cup Series race to the road course in 2021 in an attempt to juice up the excitement level of a race that had lost some of its luster.
Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment
Knowing that his family has history at Indy with his dad’s 2002 win, Elliott is excited to be back on the oval and going in the ‘right direction’.Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 19, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)“Yeah, for sure. When we left the oval, I didn’t really think a ton of it. But I do feel like coming back, it does mean more being on the oval, for me personally.
“This race has always been important,” Elliott continued, “because it was one of the few races that I was old enough to be around that dad had won, so I think because of that, it’s always been just a little more special than the rest. And certainly, one of the few wins that I was around for.
“But more than that, one of the few – it was the only marquee, major if you will, win that I was around for. So it’s always been really special. I always knew how much that race meant to him. And you know because of that, I’ve always had a lot of admiration for the event. It’s always been something in my mind that I would love to match and be able to share that moment with the shoe on the other foot. I feel like that would be really, really cool. Personally, that’s been a goal of mine ever since I started racing in the NASCAR deal.
“When we left, I didn’t really think as much about it. But certainly coming back, I’m like, yeah – if I were to ever win this race, this is definitely how I’d want to do it, if I had a choice, for sure. Being here was great regardless, whether we raced on the road course or the oval.
“But I’m excited that we’re back on the oval,” Elliott added. “The race probably isn’t going to be great, from a passing standpoint. But that’s OK.. I don’t know that it ever has been super stellar in the past 10 years or so. But I think being here is a big deal. It just puts a challenge into a different bucket. You’re going to have to be really on top of things from the beginning of the weekend; have a good qualifying effort and a really good strategy. Find ways to get out front and try to control the event.”
Should he take the checkered flag first on Sunday, how does he feel now about getting down on his hands and knees and putting his lips to Indy’s famous bricks?
“I’d certainly be alright with it now, for sure,” Elliott said. “I’d be plenty OK with it today, so maybe we can make it happen.”