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Dale Jr. Download: Is Chase Elliott a title contender?

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. recognizes that Chase Elliott has momentum and can advance to contend for the title at Miami, but still believes the No. 24 team has work to do to catch up to Kevin Harvick.

Chase Elliott started last week’s race at Kansas with a fifth - 10th-place car. They adjusted on it, got track position when Kevin Harvick was hit with a pit road penalty and then outraced the field at the end.

“They made their car so much better,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on this week’s edition of the Dale Jr. Download. “That’s hard to do in itself ... making your car better as the race goes on. What is even more impressive is that they were able to make their car better and put it in the lead. … I know they didn’t pass Harvick; he had his problems. But getting that track position on guys like Kyle Busch … Joey Logano, people that were dominating during the day was the most impressive thing for me.”

Earnhardt’s co-host Mike Davis disagrees.

“In none (of his wins) did Chase actually dominate or lead the most laps,” Davis said. “He did at Watkins Glen, but you could even make the argument that Kyle Busch ... that was sort of his race until they didn’t pick up enough fuel in that pit stop.”

According to Earnhardt, Elliott lacks the pure speed needed to outrun the No. 4 of Harvick. Then again, no one has but Harvick and his team have found a way to beat themselves on many occasions. If Elliott makes it to the Championship 4, anything can happen.

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