The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season was mired in a bit of drama. At the Martinsville Speedway, Chase Elliott was primed for a maiden win. Unfortunately, Denny Hamlin nudged him into a spin, which cost him a trip to Victory Lane. Owing to this, the #11 driver became a public enemy and even copped plenty of boos and abuse.

Later on, Elliott got his own back at the Phoenix Raceway when they traded paint and he forced Hamlin into the wall. As a result, Hamlin’s tire blew and pitched him back into the wall. In the end, Chase Elliott finished the race in second place, while Hamlin wound up all the way in 35th and out of the race.

After the race, Elliott was asked whether Martinsville was on the back of his mind when he plotted revenge. He said, “I’m gonna race guys how they race me. Keep a smile on my face, regardless.”

Denny Hamlin hits back at Chase Elliott

Obviously, Hamlin defended his actions and declared that different people have their own way of resolving issues. The #11 driver felt vindicated that it proved that Elliott was not above petty revenge. He harked back to all the hate that he received for tagging out Elliott.

Hamlin insisted that this was all part of racing, though it did not stop him from confronting Elliott. NASCAR is notorious for driver stand-offs in the pit lane, and this was no different. Eventually, the two of them would miss out on the Championship 4 that year.

This time around, the two of them are battling in the final 4 in the 2020 Cup Series season. The two of them are expected to duel, and the venue for their showdown will be the Phoenix Raceway, once again. Hopefully, they can stay out of each other’s way and try to keep things clean between them.

WATCH – When Chase Elliott Was Furious With Denny Hamlin After Their Incident at Martinsville