NASCAR reacts to fight between Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano

Penalties are expected following the altercation at Martinsville Speedway

On Sunday, NASCAR unloaded at the paperclip oval of Martinsville Speedway. The track is known to create highlight reels that last several years, yesterday was no different.

For the second week in a row, drivers tangled on the pit lane after a race.

Last week, Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick got into it on the pit lane after the NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In that case, crew members jumped in but it didn’t get out of hand.

Sunday at Martinsville was a bit different. Joey Logano was put in the wall by Denny Hamlin late in the race. After the checkered, Logano found Hamlin and started a conversation.

The conversation ended with Joey Logano put a stiff hand on the shoulder of Hamlin before he walked away. Hamlin then chased him down but crew members wouldn’t allow the drivers to reach each other.

One of Logano’s crew members, a much larger man that the No. 11 driver, grabbed Hamlin from the back of his racing suit. With full force, he yanked Hamlin out of the pile of bodies and onto the ground.

NASCAR didn’t like that…

NASCAR reacts to Martinsville fight

“As we always say, ‘We know emotions are going to run high.’ Especially at this time of the season,” Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s chief racing development officer stated Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“The drivers, we don’t encourage it but we know they’re going to address each other after the race when they have an incident. We saw that happen.”

“Unfortunately, instead of breaking up a fight, I think what we saw was an aggressive move by a crew member.”

“We called the team into the hauler, including Todd Gordon. In this case, you got a crew member who was maybe trying to break it up. But, certainly an aggressive move that we viewed on our part.”

“Unfortunately, we’ll probably have to take some action to address that later today or tomorrow.”

“If you go back to Kansas, we spent a lot of time reviewing that video. Different incident, we didn’t see anybody trying to escalate the situation.”

Kansas refers to the altercation between Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick. In that case, no crew members made aggressive moves toward either driver.

“In this case, you had a crew member who didn’t realize the force with which he made that move. We got some light drivers and some big crew members. That’s what happens when those situations take place.”

“I think they understand what’s coming,” O’Donnell concluded.

UPDATE: A penalty has been issued following this altercation at Martinsville Speedway

Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin fight (Video)

Martinsville Race Results

Denny Hamlin is frustrated with Joey Logano after Dover (October 2019)

Hamlin and Chase Elliott have mended fences after Martinsville altercation

Chase Elliott vs Denny Hamlin – Phoenix Raceway (2017 – Video)

Chase Elliott fan confronts Denny Hamlin (2017 – Video)

Hamlin vs Elliott – Martinsville (2017 – Video)

Logano and Kyle Busch fight on pit lane (2017)