#9: Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro NAPA Auto Parts
Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott have mended fences
Shane Walters
A select group of NASCAR fans were under the impression that Hamlin intentionally took out Chase Elliott at ISM Raceway last weekend
Denny Hamlin says he and Chase Elliott have been on good grounds for the previous 10 months
In 2017, Denny Hamlin out the bumper to Chase Elliott at Martinsville Speedway. At that time, both drivers were racing for a championship position. Elliott ended up in the wall and the two traded words on the race track after the race.
Two weeks later, Chase Elliott returned the favor at ISM Raceway. That was a retaliation from the incident at Martinsville Speedway. A NASCAR driver feud was born.
A year later…
On Sunday, Denny Hamlin was going for the race lead at ISM Raceway. On a restart with just a 49 laps remaining, Hamlin found pace on the apron as others had all day.
Hamlin, Jones and both Busch brothers were four wide for the lead off turn two. Hamlin had his nose in front. But, he was unaware that Kurt Busch had a run coming on the top.
Hamlin got loose during the transition from the apron to the race track and he used the entirety of the track surface to save it. He chased it up the banking and the #11 banged doors with Kurt Busch in the #41, pushing him out of the groove and into the outside wall.
Busch became a pinball at the front of the field. He bounced between the wall and Hamlin until they ran out of room completely and something had to give.
“He just ran us right in the wall and never lifted, the #11,” Kurt Busch said over the radio.
Busch got into the right rear corner panel of Hamlin and hooked him down the backstretch. Hamlin was sideways in the middle of the track with the field looking for a way by.
Several cars were collected, including the #9 of Chase Elliott. The #9 fans didn’t like that at all…
Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott after the crash at ISM Raceway
Denny Hamlin: “Dear Chase Elliott, you sure have some passionate fans. Delusional, but passionate none the less. Love is blind.”
“Apparently while racing for the lead with 30 to go I thought hmm how can I end his chances, oh yea. Get hooked in the RR down the straight and send Kurt down the track. That’ll get him.”
“Man you should see some of this stuff. I wonder if they even realize that me and Chase are good? Have been for 10 months now.”
Chase Elliott: “Executed perfectly at that. #blameDenny?”
Hamlin: “I like that hashtag. Does @JimmieJohnson own that trademark?”
Jimmie Johnson:Â
“No sir, there is plenty of blame to share!”