Chase Elliott on spotter change for 2024: 'Now was the right time to do it'

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Chase Elliott will have a new primary voice in his ear for the 2024 season, and it's one he's certainly familiar with.

Elliott will have his cousin, Trey Poole, as his spotter, the person who has a view on the track to alert drivers about accidents ahead of them as well as playing a critical role in telling drivers when they are clear to make a pass and/or suggesting ways to make a pass based on what they're seeing other drivers do during the event.

Poole will replace Eddie D'Hondt, who had been with Elliott since he started full-time Cup racing at Hendrick Motorsports in 2016. D'Hondt will spot for Stewart-Haas Racing's Josh Berry in 2024.

Drivers typically play a key role in choosing their spotter. Poole had served as Elliott's secondary spotter for races where they used more than one.

"It was a group effort," Elliott said about the decision when talking Thursday during the FOX Sports preseason production days. "We just got to a point where we felt like if we were going to make a change, now was the right time to do it.

"And, look, Ed's been a great teammate, I love Ed. We still have a good relationship even today. He's been a huge part of our team for a long time. I don't want that to get lost in translation. I think a lot of him as a person, and he's done a lot for me."

Elliott, who missed seven races in going winless last year (six because of injury, one because of suspension) and fell short of making the playoffs, isn't the only driver to have a new spotter this year. Among the changes is 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney having Tim Fedewa as his spotter. Fedewa, who spotted for Kevin Harvick at SHR (Harvick has retired and was replaced by Berry), replaced Josh Williams, who will spot for Spire Motorsports rookie Zane Smith. Williams had spotted for Smith in the truck series.

The Elliott-D'Hondt change has received the most chatter, with Elliott being the sport's most popular driver and D'Hondt having worked as a spotter for several championship drivers and serving other roles in the sport for decades.

"This is year nine, right? It's like if you're going to make a transition or try something different, it just kind of felt like now was the time to do it," Elliott said.

"Trey had kind of been our No. 2 spotter for the past number of years and we just felt like, of what was out there, that was the right fit, and it was the right choice for our team and ultimately, just trying to perform at our very best."

Elliott said both Poole and D'Hondt have similar qualities, including already pretty much knowing what Elliott is thinking before he tells them on the radio.

"Trey is a very straightforward individual," Elliott said. "And I think he has his eyes set on the right things, and ultimately, just performance, low drama, not a lot of ego — all of those qualities I really enjoy in a spotter.

"Ed was also low drama and does not have an ego, too. So in a lot of ways, very similar to what we've had. But just enough of a change that we wanted to try and kind of see how it goes."

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.