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Denny Hamlin Wants Chase Elliott Parked Next Race Following Coca-Cola 600 Crash

by Hunter Thomas May 29, 2023 1 comment

CONCORD, N.C. – Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott have history, and on Monday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the emotions reignited as the two collided during the Coca-Cola 600.

With 15 laps to go in Stage 2, Hamlin and Elliott were battling hard for position inside of the top-10, when the two drivers pushed each other too far. The two drivers exited Turn 4, when Hamlin slid up the track and into Elliott, forcing him into the outside wall. It appeared that Elliott then turned down the track to hook Hamlin, who was then sent head-on into the outside wall on the frtonstretch. Hamlin’s car hit the wall so hard that his right tires came off the ground.

Following the crash, Hamlin called for NASCAR to suspend the industry’s most popular driver. Hamlin has a point as his 23XI Racing driver, Bubba Wallace was suspended last year after he intentionally hooked Kyle Larson on the frontstretch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It’s a tantrum and he shouldn’t be racing next week,” Hamlin said. “Right rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable. I don’t care. It is the same thing that Bubba Wallace did with Kyle Larson. Exact same. He shouldn’t be racing. It’s a tantrum.”

Once Hamlin retired from Monday’s Coca-Cola 600, he went on Twitter and posted data that he hopes backs up his claim that Elliott intentionally hooked him.

Elliott however, denies that he intentionally crashed Hamlin, saying that his car wasn’t drivable after smacking the outside wall.

“The No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) ran us up into the fence there,” Elliott said. “Once you tear the right-side off these things, it’s kind of over. I hate it – I thought our No. 9 NAPA Chevy was getting better. It was nice to be making some gains there throughout the race. Our pit stops were really good. We had some pretty good fortune to get up towards the front there. It was just trying to get to mile 600 and have a shot, so unfortunately failed to do that again.”

When asked if he intentionally crashed Hamlin, Elliott said, “No, like I said, once you hit the wall in these things, you can’t drive them anymore. So no, just unfortunate circumstances.”

The two drivers certainly have history. Most notably, Hamlin took Elliott out back in 2020 during the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series finish under the lights at Martinsville Speedway. It’ll be interesting to see how the situation progresses. NASCAR typically announces penalties earlier in the week on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

The NASCAR Cup Series will make its debut appearance at the Portland International Raceway on Sunday, June 3. Live coverage of the Pacific Office Automotive 147 will broadcast live on FS1 at 4:30 p.m.

Photo Credit: Mitchell White/TheFourthTurn.com