For the second straight year, Chase Elliott enters Martinsville Speedway with his championship hopes dangling by a thread. The reminders of 2024’s heartbreaker are fresh on his mind. Twelve months ago, Elliott’s playoff run came to a crashing halt in the Round of 8, leaving a void for one of NASCAR’s most popular and accomplished drivers.

Fast-forward to 2025, and here he is again, standing on the brink of elimination with everything on the line at Martinsville. The No. 9 team has shown flashes of the old magic. However, the math isn’t kind; Elliott’s deep in the hole. Still, if there’s one driver who knows how to thrive under pressure, it’s him. And as the playoff drama heats up, one NASCAR insider summed up Elliott’s entire championship push in just three bold words.

Six playoff titans

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