The two drivers got heated after the NASCAR Playoff race; Watch the first and second altercation between the two
On Saturday night, NASCAR rolled into Bristol, Tennessee. The 0.533-mile short track of Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the round one finale. Fireworks were expected for the playoff elimination race and we got just that.
Watch the Chase Elliott vs Kevin Harvick video below.
With 36 laps to go, Kevin Harvick was all over the bumper of Chase Elliott in the battle for the lead and the race win. At the same time, Kyle Busch suffered a flat tire just laps prior and was two laps down but faster than both of them with new right side tires.
Kyle Busch climbed into the fight. He cleared both of them but in the process, Busch boxed Elliott in behind a lap car into turn one.
Harvick saw an opportunity and pounced. He drove it deep to the inside as they ran three wide. As they cleared that lap car they ran into many more.
Harvick boxed Elliott in behind another lap car. Elliott pinched between Harvick and the lap car back into turn one. But, Harvick missed the bottom and shoved Elliott up the track.
The contact was enough to cut the left front of Elliott’s machine. He was forced to pit under green. He came out just behind Harvick and Larson but he was three laps down.
“This happens all the time with that guy,” Elliott radio.
Elliott’s revenge on Harvick
Elliott quickly passed the leaders with four fresh tires. He nudged Harvick a little on his way by to voice frustration via vehicle. Elliott was now two laps down and driving away from the leaders.
10 to go, Harvick led Kyle Larson by 1 second.
6 to go, Larson’s teammate Chase Elliott was working a revenge plot. Elliott ran the high lane and he was just slow enough to put Harvick in dirty air. Larson closes the gap to 0.1 second.
With 5 to go, Harvick lost the nose in turn one, got tight and pushed up the track.
4 to go, Harvick dove to the bottom to try and pass Elliott. Behind him, Larson entered high and was already setting up a late apex diamond. Larson crossed under Harvick with momentum off turn two.
As they raced for the lead into turn three, Larson drove it deep to the bottom and slid all the way to the top. He pinches Harvick into the dirty portion of the track and Larson took the lead off turn four.
Harvick knocked Larson in the left rear and then the right rear. Larson was completely crossed up into turn one from the bumps but he held the lead.
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Post race altercation
Larson went to victory lane. As he did, Elliott and Harvick were knocking into each other coming to the pit lane.
Harvick then pulled right to his rear bumper and followed him down the pit lane. Both drivers were in a rush to get out of their cars.
Harvick walked right up to Elliott with his helmet still on. Elliott took off his helmet and put his hands up to keep Harvick from coming any closer. NASCAR officials surrounded the area in a hurry but they let the two drivers talk it out.
Elliott was pointing in Harvick face as the drivers exchanged a lengthy portion of words. As Harvick’s business manager attempted to jump between the two drivers, they began shoving on each other.
One of Elliott’s crew member grabbed onto Harvick and attempted to pull him back. Harvick was aggressively trying to break the hold and get back to Elliott’s face.
Moments later, Elliott walked away from the scene with a police escort. Harvick tossed a glove on the roof of Elliott’s car as he did so.
Harvick then removed his helmet and slammed it on the roof of his own car.
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Kevin Harvick comments on Chase Elliott
“I just told him that it was kinda a chciken shit move that he did that there at the end,” Kevin Harvick told NBC Sports.
“We’re racing for the freaking win at Bristol. He’s three wide in the middle and he throws a temper tantrum. I was just trying to get the lead and racing hard.”
“Then, he pulls up in front of me and just sits there and I lose the whole lead. I watched him let the 24 go by. Then, any time you run into him, it’s a problem.”
“They can boo all they want, I don’t care,” Harvick addresses the background noise from the stands.
“When I got behind the car, I kept getting tight off the corner. I couldn’t run my line.”
Harvick concluded, “God damn. I’m ready to rip somebody’s freaking head off.”
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Chase Elliott comments on Kevin Harvick
“It’s something he does all the time,” Elliott said of Harvick.
“He runs into your left side constantly, at other tracks. Some times, it does cut down your left side. Other times it doesn’t. He did it to me at Darlington a few weeks ago because he was tired of racing with me.”
“Whether he did it on purpose or not, it doesn’t matter. At some point, you gotta draw the line. I don’t care who he is or how long he’s been doing it. I’m going to stand up for myself and my team. We’ll go on down the road.”
Elliott then dodged a question about slowing down to mess with Harvick.
Elliott concluded, “I just ran my line. Super happy for Kyle. He’s a good dude and a great race car driver.”
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Kyle Larson comments
“That was an awesome race,” race winner Kyle Larson said as he climbed from his car on the front stretch.
“Obviously, Harvick and Chase got together and Chase was upset and kinda held him up. It got Harvick having to move around and use his tires up off the bottom.”
“I started getting some diamonds working on 1 and 2. Got a big run, decided to pull the trigger and slide him. Squeeze him a little bit.”
Larson added, “I think he had me jacked up down the front stretch. It was wild.”
Conversation continues
Later, Harvick found Chase Elliott near his hauler. The conversation continued.
“Now, I’m just going to run you the fuck over,” Harvick told Elliott.
Members of the media surrounded the two drivers. Harvick asked one of them not to record the conversation. As he walked back to Elliott, the phone went back up.
Eventually, Elliott invited Harvick into his hauler. The two drivers talked it out in private.
Related: Bristol race results from September 18, 2021 (NASCAR Cup Series)
Chase Elliott vs Kevin Harvick
Video
Related: Denny Hamlin vs Chase Elliott at Martinsville Speedway (VIDEO)
Links
Chase Elliott | Kevin Harvick | Kyle Larson | Bristol Motor Speedway | NASCAR
