Chase Elliott responds to Denny Hamlin's fiery comments after Coca-Cola 600 wreck
Both Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin are out of the Coca-Cola at Charlotte Motor Speedway after a Lap 186 crash between the two.
The crash occurred on the front stretch after Elliott made contact with the wall coming out of Turn 4 with Hamlin beside him. Elliott appeared to take exception with being squeezed against the wall by Hamlin, and responded by deliberately hooking him. At least, that was Hamlin’s side of the story after being checked out of the infield care center.
“I got right rear hooked in the middle of a straightaway,” Hamlin said. “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. The exact same. He shouldn’t be racing. Tantrum.”
Elliott provided his side of the story shortly after Hamlin said he should be suspended, calling the situation “unfortunate.”
“The 11 ran us up in the fence there, and once you turn the right sides off these things it’s kind of over,” Elliott said. “I hate it, I thought our NAPA Chevy was getting better. It was nice to be making some gains throughout the race — our pit stops were really good. We had some pretty good fortune to get up towards the front, so, it was just — trying to get to mile 600 and have a shot. Unfortunately, we failed to do that again.
“No [there was no retaliation], like I said, once you hit the wall in these things you can’t drive them anymore. So, unfortunately not, no just an unfortunate circumstance.”
Chase Elliott chasing NASCAR Cup Series playoff spot
Elliott, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, currently sits 28th in the points standings having missed six races earlier this season with a leg injury. He remains eligible for the playoffs, with his best bet being winning a regular season race. Elliott has been a mainstay at the front of the pack since his return, notably notching a third place finish in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 14. In seven starts, he has four top 10s and two top 5s.