Denny Hamlin did not hold back Monday after he crashed out of the Coca-Cola 600, claiming Chase Elliott intentionally ran him into the wall.
The crash, on lap 186 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, destroyed Hamlin’s car, but it didn’t hurt his radio, which revealed Hamlin’s message to his crew: “****ing bulls***. They need to park his ****ing ass.”
Hamlin cleaned up his comments for his interview with Fox Sports soon afterward, but his message remained clear: He says Elliott wrecked him intentionally, and he should be suspended.
“I got right-rear hooked in the middle of the straightaway,” Hamlin said. “It’s a tantrum and he shouldn’t be racing next week. Right-rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable. … It’s the same thing Bubba Wallace did with Kyle Larson. Exact same. He (Elliott) shouldn’t be racing.”
"It's a tantrum and [Chase Elliott] shouldn't be racing next week."- Denny Hamlin pic.twitter.com/y8xARpdU5O
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 29, 2023
Hamlin was referencing the incident last October at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in which Wallace hooked Larson into the wall, earning a one-race suspension. Elliott definitely turned Hamlin in a similar fashion.
Should Chase Elliott be suspended for this incident with Denny Hamlin? pic.twitter.com/4l6vqy3AAV
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) May 29, 2023
Elliott denied he’d retaliated, saying that after Hamlin bumped him into the wall, it destroyed his car’s handling. The accident ended his day as well.
Chase Elliott on if he retaliated on Denny Hamlin: “Unfortunately not, no.” pic.twitter.com/vdH8TkCYqv
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) May 29, 2023
Many NASCAR fans and observers on Twitter thought Elliott was out of line, but a surprising number turned it around and said Hamlin has no room to talk.
It sure appears that Chase Elliott deliberately hooked Denny Hamlin, causing him to crash. It's quite similar to what Bubba Wallace did last year to Kyle Larson, which earned Wallace a one race suspension. You'd think Elliott is facing a similar, deserved, punishment.
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) May 29, 2023
I dont blame Chase Elliott for being mad and wanting to retaliate on Denny, tbh he had every right to since Denny door’s him like that twice
But right rearing on the the front stretch of Charlotte is way too dangerous for retaliation, same dumb thing Bubba did to Larson
— cookieboy17 (@cookieboy1794) May 29, 2023
100% can’t do that on the front stretch. Really interested to see what happens due to Bubba getting a 1 race suspension last year.
— 𝙉𝙄𝘾𝙆(YouToo) (@TheIndelicato42) May 29, 2023
Gonna be interesting to see how NASCAR rules this when Chase is the crowd favorite and everyone hates Denny
I for one just want to see Denny Hamlin whine and complain so it would be significantly funnier to me if they let it slide
— Alannah (@wakanamorizono) May 29, 2023
Who anointed @dennyhamlin as the new nascar police or judge of what’s clean? Did becoming an owner wash him of his sins at Martinsville sending Elliot for a win? Or, wrecking Larson at Kansas and acting like it was clean? Use to be a fan, but the JGR superiority is too strong
— Dan Reich (@Dan_EReich) May 29, 2023
They should park chase but maybe Hamlin won’t put people in the fence anymore
— JeffBenzos14111 (@benzos14111) May 29, 2023
I have respected Denny lately but isn’t this the same guy who cries about this and cries about that but he had no issue wrecking Larson for a win a few weeks back not saying they’re the same but still an observation
— Aaron Freeman (@Ace_Freeman72) May 29, 2023
Ironic Hamlin talking about tantrums. We wont stop hearing about this for a month
— Justin Gerardi (@JustinGerardi35) May 29, 2023
[Photo Credit: Fox Sports]
