Georgia football: NASCAR driver Chase Elliot cites Kirby Smart in victory speech
Georgia football fan and second generation NASCAR driver Chase Elliot won his first race of his Cup Series career Sunday at Watkins Glen International.
Dawsonville, Georgia native and proud Georgia sports fan Chase Elliot finally reached victory lane in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series yesterday. His Victory at Watkins Glen came after three years in NASCAR’s top series and eight second place finishes.
After tying his father, Bill Elliot’s, Cup Series record for most second place finishes before winning a race earlier this year, the younger Elliot mirrored his father’s career once again by winning his first race on a road course.
Elliot has been known to wear Georgia Bulldog and Atlanta sports apparel in public interviews in the past. He took the time during a post race interview in victory lane to remind the viewers just how much he loves the Georgia Bulldogs.
"“It’s funny, this morning, I woke up and watched the video. Kirby Smart had a speech about pressure is a privilege. I had that on repeat this morning on the bus, just thinking about it. I thought we had a chance today and I wanted to make sure that if we were in a position to capitalize, we did.”"
Last month, in a press conference, a reporter asked Smart about the pressure his team will face in 2018 coming off a SEC Championship and National Runner-Up season. Smart had an interesting, yet encouraging answer to the question.
"“The pressure is really a privilege. … Those are things we embrace at the University of Georgia. We can’t run from those things.”"
It seems that Smart’s encouraging words expanded beyond the Georgia football locker room. Elliot, naturally a big fans of the Dawgs growing up in Georgia, ran with the soundbite and used it as motivation.
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With eight second place finishes and a fifth place finish in the 2017 final standings, the pressure was mounting on Elliot to win his first race. He won his first stage of 2018 at New Hampshire a few weeks ago, and had been on a hot streak ever since. The win at Watkins Glen was a culmination of that. I’m sure the Bulldog Nation is proud to see one of our own achieve success away from Athens.