Jeff Gordon Hands over #24 to Chase Elliott Next Year

Chase Elliott replaces Jeff Gordon in the #24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car starting in 2016.

Gordon, a four-time Cup winner, announced his retirement earlier this month. The 43-year-old enters his final season with three Daytona 500 victories, 77 pole positions, and 92 career victories.

Elliott, still a teenager, won NASCAR’s Nationwide Series in 2014.

“Chase brings the kind of intangibles that make him the total package as a driver,” Rick Hendrick said in a Hendrick Motorsports statement. “Not only is he a special talent inside the race car, but there’s a natural combination of competitiveness, work ethic and smarts that you rarely see. Chase’s personality and demeanor make him popular with fans, teammates and sponsors. He’s a great fit for our organization on many levels, and we feel he and Alan [Gustafon] will be a successful combination.”

Jeff Gordon’s final season behind the wheel begins in just over two weeks at Daytona.