Chase Elliott celebrates in victory lane at Gresham Motorsports Park, one of 13 wins he scored during 2010. Photo by Justin Poole/Courtesy GMP Media
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 1/7/11
According to a group of motorsports journalists, racing historians and racing aficionados polled by Georgia Racing History.com, the most historic moment in Georgia racing for the year 2010 was the rise of young Chase Elliott thorough the ranks of Late Model racing all over the east coast.
The 15-year-old took the Late Model world by storm in just his second year behind the wheel of the bigger cars, picking up 13 wins in 40 starts, including victories in the famed Winchester 400, the Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway, an ASA Challenge Series win at Rockingham Speedway and a PASS Series win at the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Those wins gave the siren on top of the famed Dawsonville Pool Room in Elliott’s hometown a real workout, as Pool Room owner Gordon Pirkle fired it off for each of Chase’s wins. That honor had previously been reserved for trips to victory lane by Chase’s father, 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup champion Bill Elliott.
“I thought Buck Simmons was the calmest, smoothest driver ever on a short track, until I saw Chase Elliott,” said GHR.com’s Mike Bell, who also serves as CEO to the Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame Association, Inc., and is one of the most noted racing historians on the east coast. Bell was on hand to witness Chase’s victory in the inaugural George Elliott Memorial at Gresham Motorsports Park, an event named for his late grandfather and patriarch of the Elliott clan.
Elgin Traylor of Speed51.com echoed Bell’s assessment.
“We saw Elliott grow up in a Late Model and rise to the top,” he said. “Keep in mind he was in the mix in the late stages of the Snowball Derby, the World Crown and was second at the All American 400.”
Justin Poole of MainStreet News was on hand several times over the 2010 season to see Elliott’s handy work behind the wheel.
“Seeing him carry the Elliott name back to the victory lane, and to consider that he is barley old enough to have a driver’s permit, is thrilling,” Poole said.