NASCAR: Chase Elliott replacement listed for Phoenix race
By Asher Fair
Josh Berry is currently listed as the driver of Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet for this coming Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.
After suffering a broken left tibia in a Colorado snowboarding accident this past Friday, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott was ruled out of NASCAR Cup Series competition indefinitely.
This past Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 2020 champion and five-time Most Popular Driver Award winner missed his first race since becoming a full-time driver back in 2016, ending a 254-race streak.
There is no timetable on a return for Elliott, though his absence is expected to last for “several weeks”.
Hendrick Motorsports have applied for him to be granted a playoff waiver, implying a sense of optimism that he will be able to return at some point during the regular season.
JR Motorsports Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry filled in for Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet in this past Sunday’s 271-lap race around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas, Nevada oval.
In his third career NASCAR Cup Series start and first in relief of Chase Elliott, Josh Berry finished in 29th place.
According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Berry is once again listed as the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet for this Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway
But confirmation hasn’t yet come from the team, and this could still change.
The NASCAR roster portal is now showing Josh Berry as the driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 for Phoenix. Team has not made an announcement and they can change the roster if they wish.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 6, 2023
Hendrick Motorsports president Jeff Andrews stated after Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that a decision would likely be made sometime on Monday to make it easier to prepare throughout the week.
Berry is set to be on hand at Phoenix Raceway this weekend, since the Xfinity Series is scheduled to race there in Saturday’s United Rentals 200 (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1), but whether or not he fills in for the second straight race remains to be seen.
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The Cup Series race, the United Rentals Work United 500, is set to be broadcast live from the four-turn, 1.058-mile (1.703-kilometer) Avondale, Arizona oval on Fox beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 12. Start a free trial of FuboTV if you haven’t already done so and don’t miss any of the action!