CONCORD, N.C. -- Chase Elliott already has his attention turned to the Round of 8 after his history-making win at the Charlotte roval Sunday night.
The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE notched his third win of the season at the Charlotte road course and punched his ticket into the next round of the playoffs. While the 24-year-old driver was excited about the victory, he is already looking ahead to next Sunday's race at Kansas.
"We've been fortunate to get to the Round of 8 the last couple years," Elliott said. "That's kind of been our stopping point. For us, we're just eyes ahead trying to assert ourselves amongst that next group.
"We tend to see the same guys make the final four every year, the same group fighting for those spots. I think for us, we're very capable of asserting ourselves amongst them. We just have to be a little better, a little more consistent, eliminate those bad racetracks, and I think we can run with whoever when we're at our best. I've said that before. I really believe it. I'm looking forward to the opportunity and ready to move on."
Elliott has momentum going into the last four races of the season. He now has won at the Charlotte roval in back-to-back years and has won the last four road-course races. Only Jeff Gordon has more road-course victories in a row with six.
Elliott doesn't expect to arrive at a road course and automatically be good, adding that the team is always trying to improve. He said that is the mentality the No. 9 team has moving ahead in the Round of 8.
"I think it's going to be a really big challenge for us to move on, as I think it is for everybody in this round, unless you just have a bunch of wins," Elliott said. "I think (Sunday's) win is big. Getting those extra five points can be the difference. We just have to bring our A game, push ahead, really try to execute three solid weeks."
The first race in the Round of 8 will be at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.