{"id":233189,"date":"2025-09-17T06:39:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T06:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/233189\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T06:39:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T06:39:09","slug":"dale-earnhardt-jr-reveals-how-he-helped-chase-elliott-secure-the-no-9-legacy-in-nascar-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/233189\/","title":{"rendered":"Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals How He Helped Chase Elliott Secure the No. 9 Legacy in NASCAR Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carrying the family name on his back, Chase Elliott entered the NASCAR<\/a> realm with the weight of heavy expectations. Having to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Bill Elliott, Chase (Elliott) desired little when he was a newbie, but the iconic No. 9 on his door remained a priority.<\/p>\n

In came Dale Earnhardt Jr., who played a pivotal role in helping Elliott secure a piece of family legacy, with the retired driver recently shining a light on how it all happened.<\/p>\n

What Role Did Dale Earnhardt Jr. Play To Help Chase Elliott?<\/p>\n

A Cup Series champion in 1988, Bill Elliott stands as one of NASCAR\u2019s most prolific drivers from the bygone era. His son, Chase Elliott, is following in his footsteps. Having already won a Cup Series championship, the driver has shown all the makings of a driver capable of winning more.<\/p>\n

While the dream of becoming a champion continues, Elliott\u2019s ultimate desire was to do it in the No. 9 car. When he first joined the grid, he was given the No. 24 HMS car, which Jeff Gordon had just vacated.<\/p>\n

Amid an internal shake-up, Elliott\u2019s heart was set on somehow acquiring the No. 9 for himself, but he didn\u2019t know how. Earnhardt, who perfectly understood the importance of family lineage in NASCAR and took it upon himself to help Elliott.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the \u201cAsk Jr.\u201d section of the \u201cDale Jr. Download\u201d podcast<\/a>, the retired driver revealed his side of the story in helping Elliott get the No. 9 car.<\/p>\n

At the time, Elliott was in his second year of Cup Series competition and quickly building equity around his association with the No. 24. Earnhardt went and spoke to him about potentially getting him the No. 9, to which Elliott replied that he would love to have it, but he was fine with the way things were.<\/p>\n

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. got asked about this on today\u2019s Ask Jr and gave his side of the story on getting Chase Elliott to switch to No. 9 in Cup.<\/p>\n

Jr got the sense that Chase didn\u2019t want to disappoint Rick Hendrick or Jeff Gordon by not using the No. 24 even though he really wanted\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/DLFa3TKJG9<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/FF6qJReAR8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) September 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, Earnhardt still spoke to Rick Hendrick about the shake-up and pitched him a genius idea.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cI got an idea and I think it\u2019d be a pretty big deal. I was like, an Elliott in the No. 9 is a big win for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time, William Byron was about to debut in the Cup Series, and the stars aligned perfectly for Elliott. With Hendrick immediately agreeing with Earnhardt\u2019s idea, Elliott was shifted to the No. 9 HMS entry, and Byron took the No. 24 car.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Earnhardt\u2019s intervention, Elliott raced to his first Cup Series Championship in 2020 with the No. 9 car, as he became the second-youngest Cup Series champion in NASCAR history.<\/p>\n