Jeff Gordon addressed the growing scrutiny around Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team after their win at Martinsville Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports’ Vice Chairman pushed back on criticism that had built early in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Elliott secured Chevrolet’s first victory of the year in the Cook Out 400, beating Denny Hamlin despite the Joe Gibbs Racing driver dominating most of the race. The result came at a time when Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet had struggled for pace, making the win significant.
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Chevrolet was the only winless manufacturer in the opening stretch of the season. That added pressure on Hendrick Motorsports, as all four teams had shown flashes but lacked execution. Elliott’s run at Martinsville followed a similar pattern early, with Hamlin controlling the race from the pole before a pitstop flipped the order.
Crew chief Alan Gustafson made the decisive call to short-pit in the final stage, bringing Elliott in earlier than the leaders. The move gained track position, and when the race reset, Elliott took control in the closing laps. It was a calculated risk that brought Gustafson into focus after weeks of outside criticism.
Speaking in the post-race press conference, Jeff Gordon backed both Elliott and his crew chief while addressing the noise around the team.
“I get to say this because Alan was my crew chief. I love this guy and the work and effort he puts in, how smart he is, the team he builds. But, nobody is a tougher critic than he is of the team and their performance,” Gordon said (3:06 onwards).“ Luckily, I don’t think you’re not even on social media.
“Whether it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Chase Elliott, whoever is the popular driver in the series, there’s a lot of critics that want to sit on the sidelines and evaluate it. You cannot let that tear you apart. You got to keep strong on the inside and believe in yourself and believe in your team. That’s what Alan and Chase fall back on.”
The call at Martinsville underlined that trust. Alan Gustafson has led the No. 9 team for several years, and while results over the last three seasons have not included a Championship 4 appearance, Chase Elliott has remained consistent. With the format shifting back to a chase, that consistency could become more valuable as the year progresses.
Jeff Gordon explains Chevrolet’s early-season struggles with new body after Chase Elliott’s win
Jeff Gordon also addressed the broader performance dip for Chevrolet, particularly with the introduction of the new Camaro ZL1 body for 2026. Hendrick Motorsports, usually the benchmark, had endured one of its toughest starts in two decades, with all four teams searching for balance and speed across track types.
Asked whether there was concern inside the Chase Elliott camp, Jeff Gordon framed it as part of an adjustment phase rather than a long-term issue.
“It’s a little bit part of the process. We had a lot of discussions. I hate it when we go through stuff like this, but we’ve been through this before. You lean on your tools more, you get back to the basics,” he said.
However, Gordon was cautious and pointed out that Martinsville was less dependent on aerodynamics, which allowed teams to offset some of the limitations seen elsewhere. He acknowledged that the new body has introduced changes that are still being understood. The former champion also credited the competition, noting that both Toyota and Ford had raised their level early in the season.
For Hendrick Motorsports, the Martinsville result did not erase the early-season concerns, but it does reset the narrative.
Edited by Hitesh Nigam