Hooters to sponsor Chase Elliott for 3 races in 2019-2021

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Hendrick Motorsports and Hooters have reached a three-year agreement to extend the restaurant chain's primary sponsorship of Chase Elliott's No. 9 Chevrolet for three races per year in NASCAR's Monster Energy Cup Series.

The contract covers the 2019-2021 seasons. Hooters joined Hendrick as a two-race primary sponsor for Elliott in 2017.

The 22-year-old Elliott earned his third playoff berth in as many seasons this year, and his first career Cup victory at Watkins Glen last month. He has eight top-five finishes and 14 top-10 finishes this season.

Elliott, the son of 1988 NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, was the rookie of the year in the Xfinity Series in 2014 and Cup series rookie of the year in 2016.

"They only have a few races a year, but they're important to them and they're important to us," Elliott said at Richmond Raceway, where the series will race Saturday night in the second event of the 10-race playoffs. "And when you have a company like that who has those couple of races and they do it the right way. They're respectful of my time, which makes me want to help them more and vice-versa."