Chase Elliott joins North Carolina military on simulated mission before Coca-Cola 600

Ahead of the Coca-Cola 600, which falls on Memorial Day weekend, NASCAR driver Chase Elliott participated in a simulated military mission to experience what soldiers go through.

Elliott is yet to win in the Cup Series this season and fans are demanding that Hendrick Motorsports make a change to his team, with crew chief Alan Gustafson facing criticism. Championship points will be placed to one side momentarily as the All-Star Race takes place on May 18, before the Cup Series returns on May 25.

Ahead of the next Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Elliott partnered with the 2025 Mission 600 campaign in order to experience what military branches are exposed to. Elliott was guided around the U.S. Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach, which is part of U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina.

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The station primarily conducts search and rescue missions, while also enforcing maritime law and recreational boating safety. Elliott participated in a simulated search-and-rescue mission, as he de-watered a vessel and captained a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium.

"I think in anything that you do, really, the people, is what makes it special," Elliott said following his experience, per NASCAR.com. "This unit here was it was no different. The crew was just extremely professional.

"Any time you have an opportunity to hang around individuals like that and see what they do on a daily basis, it makes my job a lot of fun. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did."

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National Boater Safety Week was from May 17-23, which was one of the initiatives behind Elliott's visit. While the experience was a chance to educate Elliott and raise awareness, it also had a positive impact on the military unit.

"We run duty crews here, 24/7," said Chief Petty Officer Parker Hofmann. "We just kind of ran him through all the missions and everything that we respond to on a day-to-day basis here.

"Kind of how our life is, what we do for fun, what we do for training, what we do to prepare us for the missions. We have some big NASCAR fans here, and they were excited to be able to meet him, interact with him. It really boosted the morale and I think going forward, he definitely earned some fans here today."

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Elliott also felt a connection to his new fans, and has a refreshed outlook on modern service men and women. The pre-race salute to the U.S. Armed Forces at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25 will be even more special for Elliott, given his recent activity.

"I have always felt like NASCAR – and Charlotte Motor Speedway in particular – has always done a really good job of showcasing and showing that appreciation that we, as the industry, have for our servicemen and women around the world," Elliott said.

"I think it’s really special to be a part of a sport that has that type of showcasing, on a yearly basis. And it seems like it just gets bigger and better every year. It really makes me proud to be a part of it."