NASCAR: Surprising driver to replace Chase Elliott

While Josh Berry is set to continue replacing Chase Elliott in the oval races, another driver is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the road course race.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott remains sidelined from NASCAR Cup Series competition with a fractured left tibia he suffered in a Colorado snowboarding accident last Friday.

He underwent a successful three-hour surgery and was released from the hospital later in the weekend, though it was stated that he would be out for “several weeks”, with no clear timetable on a potential return.

Josh Berry, the full-time driver of JR Motorsports’ No. 8 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series, replaced Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet in this past Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Now it has been revealed that Chase Elliott is expected to miss six NASCAR Cup Series races.

Including this past Sunday’s race, this would keep him sidelined through at least the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Easter Sunday, April 9. Not including this past Sunday’s race, it would keep him sidelined through at least the race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, April 16.

Many believed that Hendrick Motorsports would opt for a rotation of JR Motorsports drivers to fill Elliott’s seat during his extended absence, given the affiliation between the two teams. But they have taken a different approach.

After his 29th place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Berry is set to continue to fill in for Elliott, but only in the oval races. Jordan Taylor is set to drive the No. 9 Chevrolet in the road course race at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, March 26.

Taylor lacks NASCAR experience, much less Cup Series experience, but his road course racing prowess makes him an interesting choice for Hendrick Motorsports in this race.

The 31-year-old Orlando, Florida native currently competes for Corvette Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and is a three-time champion of the series (2017, 2020, and 2021). He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in 2015.

This race is three weeks away, with races at oval tracks Phoenix Raceway (Sunday, March 12) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (Sunday, March 19) scheduled to take place before then. After the race at Circuit of the Americas, Richmond Raceway is scheduled to a host a race on Sunday, April 2, one in which Berry is expected to compete.