NASCAR Cup Series garage and fans were greeted with sad news on Saturday. No:9 Hendrick motorsports Chevy Camaro ZL1 driver Chase Elliott had a snowboarding accident that resulted in him being sent to the hospital. The 2020 Cup series champion suffered fractures to his tibia. He underwent a three-hour-long surgery and has started working on his recovery.

Hendrick Motorsports president and general manager Jeff Andrews briefed the media about the accident that occurred in Colorado. They informed them that Elliott’s return has no pre-determined timeline and will depend on his recovery. HMS has applied for a medical waiver that will allow the 18 times Cup race winner to be still eligible for the playoffs. The sanctioning body is yet to respond to the application and isn’t expected to do so until the timeframe for the driver’s return is available.

Jeff Andrews, while talking about the injury and recovery, was asked whether the incident has influenced the top Chevy team to reconsider its policy on allowing drivers to venture into activities that could end in potential injury. Andrews replied, “Our guys have to go out and live their life,”. He also pointed out that Elliott’s injury was a pure accident as the driver is experienced at snowboarding.

The No:9 car will be driven by Junior Motorsports No:8 Xfinity Series full-time driver Josh Berry, who finished P5 in last year’s second-tier championship. Berry will make his Next-Gen car debut on Sunday, and the team has already finished setting the car up. He will have to start the race all the at the back since the unfortunate incident forced HMS to make these unsanctioned changes.

The 2022 Regular Season champion should keep his head high and remain optimistic. He already has Kyle Busch, who suffered a similar tibia injury in 2015 and sat out on multiple races before making a strong comeback. The then-Joe Gibbs Racing driver won his maiden title that season.  The No:8 RCR driver has already contacted Elliott and Offred his help and consult.

In case you missed it: Chase Elliott to miss the Las Vegas Cup race after snowboarding accident

What HMS owner Rick Hendrick said about Chase Elliott’s injury?

The Hall of Fame team owner was the one who informed the racing community about the unfortunate incident. Elliott being side-lined is a big loss for the veteran in the upcoming Penzoli 400 in Las Vegas and the coming races he might miss. This can also be a spot where he could offer some Cup race opportunities to the lower-division Chevy drivers.

Rick Hendrick pointed out that he would provide Eliott with all the resources needed for return. He said, “Chase’s health is our primary concern. He’s spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. Of course, he has our full support, and we’ll provide any resources he needs,”.

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