NASCAR: Why did Chase Elliott undergo another surgery?
By Asher Fair
Chase Elliott revealed earlier this week that he had a procedure done on his shoulder following the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott took to social media on Friday to update fans that he recently had a procedure done on his right shoulder to tend to what he described as “an old injury”.
The driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet added that everything is all good and that he is planning on being ready to go for the 2024 season, which is scheduled to begin in February.
Referencing when he had his “last surgery”, he noted that the offseason is a much better time for an operation such as this one.
His last surgery, of course, was on the fractured left tibia he suffered in a Colorado snowboarding crash two races into the 2023 season, an injury which ended up sidelining him for six races.
Little life update.. pic.twitter.com/f6tKODUsfw
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) November 17, 2023
Offseason shoulder surgeries have become somewhat common among NASCAR Cup Series drivers.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin underwent one after the 2019 season and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace underwent one after the 2021 season.
Elliott missed the playoffs for the first time in his eight-year career in 2023, and based on his points per race average in the 19 regular season races he contested, the six races he missed with his broken tibia were ultimately what kept him out. He also missed a separate race due to a suspension.
The 2023 season was the 27-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia native’s first winless season since 2017, and it ended his series-best five-year run of multi-win seasons.
It also ended his series-best runs of seven straight top 10 points finishes, seven straight round of 12 appearances, six straight round of 8 appearances, three straight Championship 4 appearances, and 134 straight races as a championship-eligible driver.
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The 2024 preseason exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is scheduled for Sunday, February 4, and the official season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, February 18.