Fantasy NASCAR Racing

posted two wins in the car that year and the car had eight Top 5 finishes overall.  More of the same continued in 2016 as a bevy of drivers were at the controls. Earnhardt and Harvick were back as part time drivers and were joined by Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer, Alex Bowman, and others. Earnhardt and Elliott claimed wins this season and overall the drivers posted eleven Top 5's and 23 Top 10's. In 2017 Elenz was put in charge of a full time team and he assumed the reins of William Byron's team. He duo claimed four wins and twelve Top five and 22 top ten finishes. They easily advanced to the final round of the Chase with a shot to win the Championship. Cole Custer easily handled the field that night as he led 182 of the 200 laps. Tyler Reddick was the only other driver to lead the race. Byron would finish third in the event; but was the best of the four drivers eligible for the Chase and won the first Championship for both Elenz and himself. 2018 saw Byron moved up to the Cup series full time, and Elenz was paired up with Tyler Reddick for 2018. Reddick edged out team mate Elliott Sadler by about two inches to win the season opening race at Daytona. The pair performed well all season long finishing second at Indianapolis and Texas. They easily advanced to the Chase portion of the season and advanced through each round with good finishes and by completing every lap in each race the final seven races of the season. When they rolled into Homestead to run for the Championship; Christopher and Bell and Cole Custer were the favorites to grab the win. Custer had dominated the field in 2017 and no one would have been surprised if he did it again this year. Once again Custer had a dominate car and led 95 laps; As the final stage started; it would be a green flag run to the checkers. Reddick led briefly before Christopher Bell got by and looked to be the car to beat. But, Bell would get loose, and his car brushed the wall and upset it's handling. Reddick got by with 37 laps to go and no one was able to head him before the checkered hankie flew. Giving Reddick his first Xfinity Championship and Elenz his second in a row in two tries and JR Motorsports and their third Xfinity series Championship.  Elenz was partnered up with Noah Gragson in 2019 to drive the #9 Chevy in the Xfinity Series.  The season started with good consistent finishes as the first seven races saw Gragson have all his finishes inside the Top 13.  Staring at Charlotte the team stepped up it's game somewhat as Burdett was able to get Gragson finishing inside the Top 10.  Five events in a row saw Gragson had a worst finish of sixth and tossed in a second place finish at Michigan.  They had a 15th place finish at Daytona in July; then had five more finishes inside the top ten.  With 'the big three' grabbing all the wins; a finish inside the Top 5 was a great run. Gragson pointed his way into the playoffs.  Burdett made sure he had a car capable of running Top 5 and Gragson posted good finishes in each round of the Chase.  In the third round of the playoffs he spun out and as he spun across the infield his front splitter caught in the grass and tore the nose off his car and eliminated him from the race. The low points that day, coupled with teammate Justin Allgaier winning the next week at Phoenix eliminated Gragson from Chase contention.  At Miami as the season closed Gragson ran well and posted a fourth place finish.  The pair finishes eighth in the season points.  2020 kicked off with a strong win and a win at Daytona as they opened the season.  The pair won again at Bristol and that was their last win in 2020.  Gragson had a strong season as he had five second place finishes; 17 Top 5 and 25 Top 10 results.  He was eliminated before the final race and missed running for the Championship.  Elenz led Gragson to much the same season as he had in 2020.  Gragson got three wins, and had 13 Top 5 and 20 Top 10 finishes.  They won at Darlington late in the season, and followed that up with a win the next week at Richmond.  He would win again at Martinsville.  In the Championship race at Phoenix, Gragson led as late as 16 laps to go; but on a late race yellow, Gragson stayed out and most of the field pitted.  When the green flew, he was a sitting duck a car after car zipped past him.  He ended the race in 12th place and third in points.  For 2022 Elenz is moving up to the Cup Series for the first time.  He will be working for Petty GMS Racing and lead the efforts of Erik Jones.   In Elenz first year as a Cup crew chief; and also the first year paired together with Erik Jones it was interesting year.  Even though they finished third at the second race of the season; crashes at Daytona and Las Vegas saw them get off to a slow start.  The next six races only saw them have one top ten finish. Most finishes were between tenth and 20th during the year.  Without a win, they failed to make the Chase; but as the Chase kicked off at Darlington in the Southern 500; Elenz led Jones to the win.  Six of the final ten races they finished in the top 15.  Plans look brighter for 2023.  Jones team mate Ty Dillon was let go, and was replaced by Noah Gragson.  Also, seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson has bought an ownership stake in Petty GMS, and plans to run a few races also.  Johnsons talent and knowledge is expected to go a long way toward helping the teams perform better in 2023.  2023 saw Elenz ride the pit box in the Cup series for the second year in a row.  Again it was leading Erik Jones.  Legacy Motor Club just can’t seem to get things rolling.  After a surprise win in the Southern 500 in 2022, they went win-less in 2023.  Their best finish was third at Kansas.  He only had seven top tens all season.  For his career, Elenz was in the Xfinity series from 2015-2021.  His drivers there have won 15 times.  He has the one win in the Cup series with Jones last year.  Elenz will be back with Jones in 2024, as the team switches to running Toyotas.