Denny Hamlin Insinuates Chase Elliott’s “Birdie” Likely Triggered Noah Gragson’s Ross Chastain Confrontation

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Driver and co-owner of the 23XI racing team, recently shared his thoughts on the Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson confrontation during his podcast Actions Detrimental. While sharing his views, Hamlin insinuated that Chase Elliott’s comments about Chastain’s on-track behavior may have played a role in Gragson’s decision to confront Chastain on pit road.

Denny Hamlin Insinuates Chase Elliott to be the Instigator of the Chastain-Gragson Fight

Denny Hamlin’s podcast, which is known for its candid nature, has become a platform for the JGR driver to express his views on several issues in the NASCAR world. On a recent episode, Hamlin talked about the Gragson-Chastain altercation and insinuated that Chase Elliott’s comment may have triggered Noah Gragson to approach Chastain.

Hamlin said, “Chase Elliott says, ‘Hey you gotta go, you know someone needs to do something’ I don’t know if Chase was speaking in general terms or did he give him the old nudge-nudge… whisper in his ear right before. Like ‘hey you gotta go there and confront him.’ Anyway, it fueled Noah somehow someway to go and approach him.”

While Hamlin did not outright accuse Elliott of instigating the fight, his comments suggested that the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s words may have played a role in Gragson’s actions. However, it is worth noting that Hamlin also praised Gragson for having the courage to confront Chastain, stating that others, including himself, have not done so despite feeling wronged by Chastain’s actions on the track.

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Things Get Heated Up Between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson

The altercation between Gragson and Chastain began during the 400-mile-long event when Chastain crowded Gragson up the track, causing the latter to make contact with the outside wall. Gragson then retaliated by pushing Chastain low on the track. While this is a common occurrence in NASCAR, what happened next was not.

Off the track, Gragson approached Chastain aggressively, grabbing his race suit and advancing towards him. Despite attempts to de-escalate the situation, Chastain responded with a right hook punch, and both drivers began fighting. Track-side security had to separate the two drivers, and Gragson attempted to get back at Chastain after being pulled away.

After the incident, Gragson was vocal about his frustration with Chastain’s aggressive driving style, saying that “the guy just runs into everyone” and that “everyone is sick and tired of him.” Gragson’s comments echo those made by other drivers who have been on the receiving end of Chastain’s aggressive maneuvers on track.

The Gragson-Chastain altercation at the Kansas Speedway is yet another example of the high emotions and intense rivalries that are a part of NASCAR. While Denny Hamlin’s comments on his podcast may have suggested that Chase Elliott played a role in triggering the fight, it is important to note that drivers’ opinions of one another can be heavily influenced by their on-track behavior. ‘

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Ross Chastain’s aggressive driving style has earned him a reputation among his peers, with many feeling that his actions on the track are dangerous and unnecessary. It remains to be seen how Chastain will respond to the criticisms he has faced in recent weeks, but it is clear that his on-track behavior will continue to be a topic of discussion in the NASCAR world.