Pocono did what it does best: Throw a wrench in the work of even the biggest players. As Chase Elliott arrived at the Blakeslee, Pennsylvania-based 2.5-mile tri-oval track, he did so on the back of a P3 finish at the Viva México 250, ready to blow it out of the park in his Xfinity adventure. And for the most part, he did. Finishing at a respectable fourth position, the veteran Cup racer lit up the Tricky Triangle by snatching the pole and commanding the field for most of the day. For 38 out of 100 laps, it looked like Elliott was about to turn this part-time gig into a full-blown statement win.

Unfortunately for Hendrick Motorsports, Connor Zilisch, backed by Dale Jr. on top of the #88 pit box, ultimately bagged the race win. It was a heartbreak for the #17 team. But what happened next was outright brutal.

During inspection at the R&D Center in North Carolina, the No. 17 Chevy was found in violation pertaining to the main frame rail conical receivers. NASCAR insider Jeff Clark reported via X: “The Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity Series car driven by Chase Elliott at Pocono got a big penalty: $40k fine, three-race suspension for crew chief Adam Wall, loss of 40 owner points (no driver points to take away) and 10 owner playoff points. NASCAR says it found a problem with the main frame rail conical receivers.”

Since Chase Elliott isn’t competing for driver points, only the team’s stats took the blow. But in a sport where every number counts, it was a big hit to the Hendrick camp. According to NASCAR, the penalty stems from violations detailed in Sections 14.3.3.2.1.1 K&L of the NASCAR rule book, guidelines that govern how those frame rail receivers are supposed to be built and installed. To put it simply, Hendrick modified them, and NASCAR didn’t like that.

This wasn’t some throwaway entry, either. Hendrick Motorsports has fielded the No. 17 car in 10 of the 16 Xfinity races this season, rotating stars like Kyle Larson, William Byron, Alex Bowman, and even Corey Day behind the wheel. The car has scored two wins: Larson at Bristol and Byron at Charlotte. And looked like they were in the hunt for another victory lane finish with Elliott at Pocono. Now it’s just tainted with controversy.

Even Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is now channeling his inner crew chief these days, guiding Connor Zilisch to his first oval win at Pocono, jumped into the conversation. Replying to Bob Pockrass’s X update on the penalty, Junior quipped, “Texting Ives now…” Notably, Greg Ives was a crew chief for JR Motorsports’ No. 40 at the 2025 Daytona 500 with Justin Allgaier. As per his LinkedIn profile, he also works as a Mechanical Engineer and crew chief at HMS.

Greg’s deep roots at Hendrick (having engineered Jimmie Johnson’s five-peat and working as Elliott’s crew chief during the 2014 Xfinity title) make Jr.’s offhand message speak volumes. Yet, the attention was sorely stuck on Elliott an industry veteran decided enough was enough…

Kyle Petty rips Elliott’s performance slide

While the Hendrick garage deals with penalties and fines, Elliott is facing a different kind of pressure—the kind that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet but weighs heavily in the court of public opinion. Once seen as the heir to NASCAR thrown, he now finds himself in the crosshairs of racing legend Kyle Petty, who isn’t impressed with the numbers or the narrative.

In a fiery segment of NASCAR’s official YouTube channel, Petty put Elliott’s recent performance into blunt perspective. He said, “Since 2023, Chase Elliott has won only one race. One race, people. I know you’ve got all the t-shirts, I know you’ve got all the hats, I know he’s Mr. Most Popular. But how can our most popular driver not win races and not even be the best driver in the team he drives for?”

That stings. Elliot may be the fan favorite, but while he’s been scraping for the top 10s, his teammates have been running the show. Kyle Larson has collected a jaw-dropping 16 wins in the Next Gen era, and William Byron has bagged 12, while Elliott stands at 6. Additionally, this year Byron and Larson have also locked out first and second respectively in the driver’s standings, as the 7X NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver finds himself dropped down to 5th position. And that place isn’t secured with a new winner popping up every weekend.

Petty didn’t mention words. He noted that while Larson continues to crush it and Byron flexes dominance at places like Darlington and Nashville, Elliott has lacked both consistency and grit to get back to winning ways. And in a sport where legacy is built lap by lap, that absence is becoming more obvious every weekend. For Elliott, the message is clear: the time to step up isn’t next week. It’s now.