NASCAR Cup Series: Way-too-early 2018 playoff predictions
By Asher Fair
2018 NASCAR Cup Series champion prediction
#9. . No. 9. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet. CHASE ELLIOTT
Chase Elliott has driven full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for two seasons now, and he drove in five races back in the 2015 season before becoming a full-time driver. His two finishes in the championship standings are 10th and 5th place in 2016 and 2017, respectively, as he has definitely improved since coming into the Cup Series full-time.
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But here we are after the 2017 season, and Elliott is still without a win. However, even without winning, he nearly made it to the Championship 4, where he would have battled to win his first career Cup Series championship. The improvements he has made are extremely evident, and the fact that he has finished 2nd place so many times and had so many great results on so many different types of tracks prove it.
Once he finally gets the monkey off his back with his first career Cup Series victory, expect him to start winning regularly. It is hard to envision yet another season during which he doesn’t win a single race, so expect him to break out of his slump in 2018 and use it to propel him to his first career Cup Series championship.
Next: NASCAR Playoffs: Pros and Cons
Which drivers will qualify for each of the four rounds of NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in the 2018 season? Which underdogs will have unexpected solid runs, and which favorites will be eliminated before most people expect? The 2018 season gets underway on Sunday, February 18th with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida.