Unsurprisingly, Chase Elliott is Jeff Gordon's replacement in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 24 car.
The team made the news official on Thursday, and said the 2014 Xfinity Series champion would drive the car in 2016 after Jeff Gordon steps aside following the 2015 season.
“Chase brings the kind of intangibles that make him the total package as a driver,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. “Not only is he a special talent inside the race car, but there’s a natural combination of competitiveness, work ethic and smarts that you rarely see. Chase’s personality and demeanor make him popular with fans, teammates and sponsors. He’s a great fit for our organization on many levels, and we feel he and Alan will be a successful combination. There’s a lot to be excited about.”
Gordon announced last week that 2015 would be his final full-time season as a driver. Elliott, 19, was the likely choice to be his replacement. In his first season in the then-Nationwide Series, Elliott won three races and clinched the championship in the next-to-last race of the season at Phoenix.
Elliott, the son of former NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, signed a developmental contract with Hendrick in 2011. He won his first NASCAR race in 2013, when he beat Ty Dillon at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in the Truck Series. He and Dillon made contact on the last corner of the race.
He had 26 top-10 finishes driving for JR Motorsports in the No. 9 car in 2014 in NASCAR's No. 2 series. In addition to defending his Xfinity Series title, he'll drive five races in a fifth Hendrick car in 2015. Elliott will drive the No. 25 NAPA car at Martinsville, Richmond, Charlotte, Indianapolis and Darlington.
“So many people have been behind me, and the first thing I want to do is thank them,” Elliott said. “My parents especially have believed in me every step of the way, and I know this wouldn’t be possible without all the sacrifices they’ve made to focus on my racing career. This is such a big week for our family.
“I’m also extremely grateful to Mr. Hendrick and my teammates at both Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports for believing in me. NAPA has been a huge supporter, and I’m honored to represent them on and off the track. Of course the fans have been amazing to me, and I’m so appreciative of that. I know how rare this opportunity is and will work as hard as I can to make everyone proud.”
No sponsorship was announced for Elliott's 2016 campaign. Gordon's 2015 sponsors include the AARP's Drive to End Hunger, 3M and Axalta, which bought Gordon's longtime sponsor DuPont.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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