Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain seek to change the narrative at Nashville

LEBANON, Tenn. — Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain each have the chance tonight at Nashville Superspeedway to change the narrative that is growing around them.

But they need a victory to do so.

Until Elliott wins, a countdown will persist over the final 10 races of the regular season focused on if he can claim a playoff spot.

Until Chastain wins, talk will continue to suggest that he’s overcorrected his driving style since Rick Hendrick’s criticism after the Darlington race in May.

Elliott is outside a playoff spot after missing seven of the first 16 races of the season. A snowboarding injury sidelined him six races, and NASCAR suspended him one race for wrecking Denny Hamlin in retaliation during the Coca-Cola 600.

Elliott could win at any of the 10 remaining tracks before the playoffs. He won last year’s race at Nashville. He won last year at Atlanta — where the series races in two weeks. He won last year at Pocono — where the series races in four weeks.

Elliott’s season has had a start-stop feel to it. He ran the first two races, missed the next six. He ran the next six races, missed one and ran one. Elliott has three top 10s in his last four starts, but he’s failed to score a stage point in any of those races.

The sport’s most popular driver already has faced questions about if he can make the playoffs. This year marks the first time in five seasons he’s not had a victory after 16 races. He enters Sunday’s race at Nashville (7 p.m. ET, NBC) well outside a playoff spot. He’s 27th in the standings, 84 points out of the final transfer spot.

“I don’t think we need to push too hard or do anything crazy,” said Elliott, who qualified 14th, of any push to make the playoffs. “I think our approach needs to be the same and just