Elliott injures leg in snowboarding accident, will miss Las Vegas race

Chase Elliott is out indefinitely after undergoing a successful threehour surgery to repair a fractured tibia, Hendrick Motorsports general manager Jeff Andrews said Saturday.

Andrews said there was no timeline on when the star NASCAR driver would return.

Elliott injured his left leg in a snowboarding accident in Colorado on Friday

Josh Berry will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet on Sunday in place of Elliott.

“Chase’s health is our primary concern,” Hendrick said. “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.”

Elliott is a second-generation driver and the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott. The Georgia native is NASCAR’s five-time fan-voted most popular driver.

Elliott is a part of NASCAR’s shrinking group of true superstars and was signed to a developmental deal by Hendrick when he was 14 years old.

He blossomed into a bona fide elite racer and won the Cup title in 2020. The 27-year-old has 18 career Cup victories and has advanced into the

Chase Elliott injured his leg in a snowboarding accident in Colorado on Friday and will miss this weekend’s NASCAR race at Las Vegas.

championship finale the last three consecutive years.

The injury comes at a time when Hendrick dramatically shifted his stance on the extracurricular activities. He was a firm believer in that his drivers could not race in other series or partake in daredevil behavior for fear of injury.

But he did a complete U-turn after signing Kyle Larson for 2021. Larson runs at small tracks all over the country and persuaded Hendrick not to force him to quit.

In fact, Hendrick is even partnering with McLaren and Chevrolet to enter Larson in the Indianapolis 500. The deal has been announced for 2024, but the AP has learned it is a two-year deal that includes the 2025 race.