DOVER, Del. – Jimmie Johnson is racing in his 13th Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – the only driver to have made every Chase since its inception – while Chase Elliott is driving in his very first Sprint Cup postseason.
But the Hendrick Motorsports teammates have one thing in common – they’re both still alive in the drive toward a championship.
Sunday at Dover International Speedway, both drivers advanced to the Round of 12 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Controlling their own destinies, both teammates finished inside the top 10 to ensure their spots in the next round.
"I'm proud of the way we've been running," Elliott said. "I think we've been building and gaining on some things that we've been missing, and this is a good time to do it."
Now, the points reset to 3,000 for each of the remaining contenders.
The three races in the Round of 12 come at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, where four more drivers will be eliminated.
"We're alive and well, going to a great track for us in Charlotte," Johnson said of the No. 48 team. "We're very optimistic and we know we just need to clean things up and execute."
The first race of the round – at Charlotte – is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET this Saturday, Oct. 8, on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.