USA TODAY Sports kid reporter chats with NASCAR Driver Erik Jones
USA TODAY Sports kid reporter Jordan Berger sat down with NASCAR driver Erik Jones to talk about the sport and also his passion for reading.
USA TODAY
NASCAR star Chase Elliott underwent successful surgery on his left leg Friday night but will miss this weekend’s Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup champion suffered an unspecified leg injury in a snowboarding accident earlier Friday while on the slopes in Colorado.
Team owner Rick Hendrick told The Associated Press that Elliott was “just out of surgery” and that “it went well.” Hendrick gave no additional details about Elliott’s condition or the accident.
The 27-year-old Elliott has been voted the series’ most popular driver for five consecutive years. Hendrick Motorsports is NASCAR’s winningest team.
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“Chase’s health is our primary concern,” Hendrick said in a statement. “He’s spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. Of course, he has our full support, and we’ll provide any resources he needs.”
The Georgia native and and son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, finished second in the Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California last week. Elliott had a rough season opener, however, finishing third-to-last in the Daytona 500 following a crash.
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Elliott will be replaced in the No. 9 Chevrolet in Las Vegas by NASCAR Xifinity Series driver Josh Berry. The 32-year-old Berry, who drives for Hendrick affiliate JR Motorsports, is a two-time winner in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas.
Sunday’s Pennzoil 400, which is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX), will be the first time Elliot has missed a Cup Series race since beginning his full-time career in 2016. Dating back to the 2016 Daytona 500, Elliott had made 254 consecutive starts and recorded 18 wins, including his 2020 championship.
