Chase Elliott, the popular driver of Hendrick Motorsports, found himself in hot water after a heated on-track incident with Denny Hamlin during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The clash between the two drivers led to Elliott being suspended for one race, an outcome that came as a disappointment to his dedicated fanbase. However, what made matters even more intriguing was the unexpected role played by one of Elliott’s fans in the aftermath of the incident.

Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing and a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, used a tweet from a fan known as the Dawsonville Pool Room to support his appeal to NASCAR for a severe penalty against Elliott.

Denny Hamlin’s Clever Appeal That Got Chase Elliott Suspended

Hamlin referenced a tweet in his ‘Actions Detrimental’ podcast, where he expressed his opinion on the matter. The tweet read, “Denny and Chase should share a Coke. @CocaColaRacing Not much different than the Larson/Wallace incident last year. We shall see what NASCAR thinks.”

In his podcast, Hamlin shared his perspective on Elliott’s fans, stating, “I don’t mind Chase Elliott fans, some of them are sane, most of them are not. Even we got the Dawsonville Pool Room saying, ‘Oh boy, we need a substitute driver next week.’ You probably know you f**ked up.”

The reference to the tweet from the Dawsonville Pool Room highlighted the impact fans can have on the perception of incidents in motorsport. And it is safe to say that the tweet had an impact as Hamlin used it on his podcast to make an appeal to NASCAR.

The incident between Elliott and Hamlin bore similarities to a previous incident involving Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson, for which Wallace received a one-race suspension last year. Both incidents involved contact between the left front of one car and the right rear of another, resulting in the targeted driver crashing into the wall at high speed. NASCAR, aiming to maintain consistency in its officiating, handed Elliott the same penalty as Wallace.

During the race, Hamlin squeezed Elliott into the wall during a battle for position, causing damage to Elliott’s car. In response, Elliott appeared to intentionally turn into the rear of Hamlin’s car. Elliott claimed that he had lost control of his car after hitting the wall, denying any intentional retaliation. However, NASCAR’s investigation, which included a thorough analysis of data, in-car camera footage, and radio communications, concluded that Elliott’s action was intentional.

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NASCAR has made it clear that retaliatory actions, such as intentionally wrecking an opponent, will not be tolerated. Senior Vice President Elton Sawyer, in an interview on Fox Sports during NASCAR Race Hub, stated, “We landed on the fact that this was an act that definitely… was intentional… hooking someone in the right rear and turning them head-on into the fence is just not something we can tolerate.”

The swift action taken by NASCAR resulted in Elliott missing the upcoming race at the World Wide Technology Raceway, commonly known as Gateway. However, it is expected that Hendrick Motorsports will request a playoff waiver for Elliott, allowing him to remain eligible for the championship. Elliott has limited opportunities to secure his playoff spot, as he has already run 6 fewer races and is on his way to miss another.

Corey LaJoie, currently 20th in the Cup standings, will replace Elliott at Gateway for Hendrick Motorsports. Carson Hocevar, a full-time driver in the truck series, will fill in for LaJoie in the Cup car. Hendrick Motorsports has stated that they understand NASCAR’s need for consistency and will not appeal the penalty, instead focusing on submitting a formal request for a playoff waiver.

The incident between Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin has ignited debate among fans and the racing community. While Elliott’s fans may be disappointed by his suspension, it serves as a reminder that NASCAR takes intentional wrecking seriously and aims to ensure fair competition and driver safety.

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