Chase Elliott will have to overcome some early adversity at Kansas Speedway, which arose in the form of engine issues.
The No. 9 team will have to change the engine on the Chevrolet Camaro, which means that Elliott will start Sunday's playoff race at the rear of the field. He will be in the worst position of the playoff drivers considering that eight qualified inside the top 10 and three others qualified inside the top 20.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver first noticed the issue Sunday afternoon at the intermediate track as he took part in practice. He completed 19 laps and posted the 15th-best time at 30.722 seconds. However, the No. 9 Chevrolet suddenly lost power.
Elliott spoke to NBC Sports after heading back onto pit road. He said that the sound of the engine audibly changed and that he thought he had dropped a cylinder. Elliott said that he would still go out and qualify before likely dropping to the rear of the field.
The 2020 Cup Series champion qualified last in Group A. He completed his lap in 32.345 seconds, a full two seconds behind teammate William Byron. Hendrick Motorsports then confirmed that the team would indeed change the engine.
Starting from the rear of the field is not ideal for Elliott considering how he enters the Round of 12. He is seventh in the playoff standings and only six points above the initial Round of 8 cutline. Scoring points is crucial for the perennial playoff contender.
Kansas is a track where Elliott has performed well throughout his career. He has made 17 starts at the track, and he has finished top 10 in 11 of these starts. He has seven top-five finishes and one win, which he captured in 2018.
Elliott finished 29th in the first Next Gen race at Kansas Speedway, but he has since been back in contention for solid finishes.
The veteran finished 11th in the 2022 playoff race. He has since finished seventh, sixth, and third. Although he only has 11 stage points in these three races.