By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sporting activities NASCAR Writer

Chase Elliott did not have the results on the observe this calendar year that he had last year. But he may well have experienced as a great deal, if not a lot more, enjoyable.

Numerous equate profitable with enjoyment, so it would be quick to dismiss such pondering. But anybody who watched Elliott throughout this season could see that he was much more comfortable and at ease, even while he experienced much less wins (two alternatively than five) and concluded worse in the standings (fourth relatively than initially).

Even amid the dustups with Kevin Harvick — when he was furious — Elliott had a self confidence and an air of not seeming to dread the moments of conversing about it. Of class, when he got the past laugh, he delivered the “merry offseason and delighted Xmas” line that will go down in the lore of 2021.

It would make feeling if successful the 2021 Cup title — shedding any tension of bearing a well known racing identify and needing to produce — were being the reason for a more totally free-spirited Elliott, who just turned 26 very last 7 days.

But he wouldn’t pinpoint that as the cause.

“I would like to say so, but I’m not genuinely positive that [the Cup title] has impacted it,” Elliott said. “I think it is extra just almost certainly having older. As every 12 months goes by, you understand new stuff, you see points a very little in another way or have a minimal unique viewpoint.

“You apply that to far better yourself.” 

Numerous motorists gauge their seasons not just on wins but also on the opportunity to compete for the Cup title as 1 of the 4 finalists in the championship race. For the 2nd consecutive yr, Elliott was ready to do that.

“Our year was good,” he reported. “I’m actually proud of my workforce just finding to [the title race at] Phoenix and having a shot.

“To me, that is the team that you want to be a part of. … If you can get on your own in that placement, much more times than not, your days are likely to be there for you inevitably.”

As element of Elliott obtaining enjoyable, he wore a Fedora-style cowboy hat to the NASCAR Awards Ceremony final 7 days in Nashville. 

“I got it at the hat retail outlet, and I wore it mainly because I wanted to,” he explained. “Why not? I was the only one particular carrying a hat. I assumed for sure an individual else would have a hat on right here, but they…