After quoting Kirby Smart in early August, NASCAR driver Chase Elliott discusses his love for Georgia football
By Jake Rill
Published:
When Chase Elliott quoted Kirby Smart after his first career NASCAR Cup Series win on Aug. 5, it wasn’t just because he liked the Georgia coach’s speech at SEC Media Days. That was only part of the reason.
The other part is that Elliott is a lifelong Georgia football fan.
“I’ve been a Georgia fan really as long as I can remember. My godparents were really big Georgia fans,” said Elliott, the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott. “I remember them taking me to a game when I was real little, like maybe 6 or 7, I remember just real vague things about going. Ever since then, they kind of hooked me on it and I just grew up around it and I’ve always been a fan.”
Elliott woke up on Aug. 5 with a good feeling about his chances of winning the race at Watkins Glen International. His team had a strong car all weekend, and the 22-year-old thought he had a chance to contend for the win.
But Elliott needed just a little added motivation to push him over the edge, much like his beloved Georgia football team did when it broke through to win the SEC championship last season. So Elliott turned on Smart’s opening statement from SEC Media Days that he loved so much and watched it numerous times.
“We talk to our players all of the time, the pressure is really a privilege,” Smart said at SEC Media Days. “You should feel privilege to have pressure to win games, to have expectations. Everybody is talking about the expectations.”
Smart later said he had previously heard the “pressure is a privilege” line that he repeated numerous times from tennis legend Billie Jean King. But it was Smart reiterating that statement that inspired Elliott.
“If we were in the position to win, I really needed to try to capitalize,” Elliott said. “For whatever reason, it kind of hit me and it felt like I should watch it.”
When Elliott later notched the win, he quoted Smart’s speech in Victory Lane.
Smart later said he was impressed by Elliott’s win and that he planned to reach out to him. That hasn’t happened yet, according to Elliott, but Smart has been busy getting the Bulldogs ready for another season.
Elliott is only 22, so he has never seen Georgia win a national championship. Last year was the first time Elliott had watched the Bulldogs play for the national title, and it was only the third time they won the SEC championship in his lifetime. The last time it happened was 2005, when Elliott was 9.
Craziest thing I’ve ever watched!!!!! Can a get a go dawgs!?!?!?! ?????????
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) January 2, 2018
That’s why Elliott said last season’s run to the College Football Playoff is his favorite memory watching Georgia football.
“I mean, honestly, this past season for me was really cool,” Elliott said. “Just watching them and being a Georgia fan, I feel like there’s been a lot of close opportunities over the past handful of years. At my age, at least, that was the first time I ever watched them make a run at the national championship like they did last year and to be old enough to really appreciate and respect it.”
Elliott was at the CFP National Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in January, along with his godfather. He is from Dawsonville, Ga., which is about 60 miles from Atlanta and Athens, only in slightly different directions.
Elliott nearly saw the Bulldogs win their first national title since 1980. However, Alabama came from behind to win in overtime, 26-23.
“That was a cool experience,” Elliott said. “Wish they could’ve pulled it out, but it was neat to go anyway, and obviously a great game.”
But Elliott doesn’t think he’ll have to wait long to see Georgia contend for another national championship.
The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, are poised to be one of the top teams in the country again this season. And with the impressive recruiting classes that Smart has brought in recently, they may continue to be among the top.
“From a fan’s perspective, I’ve enjoyed the success on the field and the attitudes when they don’t have success. I think that’s all you can ask for,” Elliott said. “I know they had a lot of guys leave, but I don’t see any reason why they can’t go back and contend again. I think they have the ingredients and the coaching staff and the talent coming in with all those recruits to do it.”
Jake Rill contributes to news coverage for Saturday Down South. He has covered the SEC since 2016.
