New Hendrick contract means Chase Elliott should be the face of the team into next decade

Any question of who Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are passing the torch to has just been answered.

Expect to see Chase Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for quite some time.

ESPN reports that Elliott has signed a four-year extension with Hendrick Motorsports, locking him up through the 2022 NASCAR season. This follows on the heels of the team signing Jimmie Johnson to an extension as well, though his deal only goes through 2020.

The move comes as no surprise, because Elliott is almost certainly the best driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series yet to win a race. At just 21, he has a bright future ahead of him, and his present isn’t too shabby either considering he made the Chase as a rookie and is in great shape to make the playoffs in 2017.

Even more importantly in this day and age, sponsors seem to like Elliott too. NAPA is only signed to be the 24 team’s primary sponsor until the end of next season, but now that Elliott is going to stay put, it’s not hard to imagine NAPA will consider continuing its own relationship with the Hendrick camp.

The Hendrick team as a whole will look much different by the end of Elliott’s new deal. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring after this season, and no one knows yet who will replace him in the 88. Kasey Kahne is rumored to be on the hot seat as his winless streak approaches triple digits and his sponsors bail, and it would be no shock if Johnson decides to call it a career three years from now.

Next: Who will take over the 88 for Hendrick once Dale Earnhardt Jr. retires?

So just to review, Elliott could be the most tenured and accomplished driver on one of NASCAR’s most storied teams before he even turns 30. That’s not bad, man, not bad at all.