Hamlin: Elliott ‘Shouldn’t Be Racing Next Week’ After ‘Tantrum’

Denny Hamlin has made a strong statement about an on-track incident in the Coca-Cola 600. He said that Chase Elliott should not be racing next week after a “tantrum” that led to a crash.

The incident occurred on Lap 186. Hamlin’s No. 11 made contact with Elliott’s No. 9, which sent the Hendrick Motorsports driver into the wall. Elliott then hit Hamlin in the right rear, which hooked the 11 into the wall and destroyed the front end. The violence of the collision lifted Hamlin’s car off the ground before it bounced into the No. 9.

“I got right rear hooked right in the middle of the straightaway,” Hamlin told FOX Sports reporter Josh Sims after exiting the infield care center. “Yeah, it’s a tantrum and he shouldn’t be racing next week. Right rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable.

“I don’t care. It’s the same thing Bubba Wallace did with Kyle Larson. It’s the exact same. He shouldn’t be racing. It’s a tantrum.”

According to Catchfence’s Chris Knight, NASCAR has said that it will review the incident between Hamlin and Elliott.

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Elliott Responded After His Infield Care Center Trip

Hamlin told Sims that Elliott hooking him was a tantrum, and he indicated that the driver of the No. 9 should receive a suspension. Elliott then provided his own comments about the incident.

Sims directly asked Elliott if the hook was retaliation. The driver of the No. 9 responded by saying that his car was undrivable after the contact with the outside wall.

“The 11 ran us up in the fence there,” Elliott said. “Once you tear the right sides off these things, it’s kind of over. So I hate it.”

Hamlin continued providing comments about the incident after his meeting with media members. He tweeted some SMT data to further support his statements about Elliott’s intent.

Regardless of what both drivers said, there is only one opinion that matters — NASCAR’s. If the sanctioning body decided that Elliott intentionally hooked Hamlin into the outside wall, he could be in line for a one-race suspension.

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The Wallace-Larson Incident Took Place in Nevada

The incident that Hamlin referenced took place during a trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October 2022. On-track contact between the two drivers led to an intentional wreck and an altercation in the infield.

Larson pinched Wallace into the outside wall, which damaged the No. 45. Wallace then moved down the track and hooked Larson’s No. 5 in the right rear. This collision sent them both into the outside wall and ended their days.

Once Wallace climbed from his car, he walked across the track and into the infield where Larson’s car sat. He then shoved the Hendrick Motorsports driver multiple times before walking away.

NASCAR responded ahead of the trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway. The sanctioning body suspended Wallace for one points-paying event, saying that he violated Sections 4.3A, 4.4C&E of the NASCAR Rule Book. These sections cover the member code of conduct.

This one-race suspension forced 23XI Racing to turn to John Hunter Nemechek as a replacement driver. Now, 23XI Racing’s owner expects to see NASCAR issue the same penalty to Elliott after the Coca-Cola 600.

 

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