Chase Elliott-Denny Hamlin Controversy Rekindled as Fans Unearth Infamous Kevin Harvick-Dale Earnhardt Jr Incident After NASCAR Revamps Approach to Race Manipulation

It is been days since the infamous incidents at the tracks of Charlotte Motor Speedway. Since then, two race weekends have passed, and Chase Elliott has complied with the one-race suspension NASCAR slapped on him for intentionally wrecking Denny Hamlin. But it seems that the controversy is yet to simmer down in the NASCAR camp.

The reason is a recent tweet, where the user drew a comparison with the Denny Hamlin–Chase Elliott wreck. The past incident in question is the Talladega wreck from 2015.

The Coca-Cola 600 incident finds its parallel in another historic wreck

Before diving deep into the incidents of the Talladega wreck, one has to keep in mind that it was the SMT data that played the key role in delivering the final judgment on Chase Elliott’s suspension. He had claimed that the right-rear hook was not intentional. However, Denny Hamlin was not going to take it sitting down, even more so because of the fact that NASCAR had penalized him earlier this season for a similar transgression. He posted the SMT data on Twitter and wrote, “Absolute left hook. Cranked the wheel 4X harder left than he did making any corner through the whole day. Bullsh*t move.” 

Even Elton Sawyer had to accept the fact that it was the optics that had played a major role in delivering the punishment. But it was not the first time that a driver has wrecked other fellow drivers and taken them out of contention. One prime example is Kevin Harvick and his infamous multi-car wreckage at Talladega. 

According to the circumstantial evidence, Harvick, the then-reigning champion, had intentionally turned into Trevor Bayne. Harvick made contact with Bayne and shoved him to the apron of the track. This eventually caused carnage just before the start-finish line and most of the drivers sustained heavy damage and a few DNF’ed. The victims of the wreck were Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr, who then failed to advance to the next stage.

A possible reason for the wreckage is that the defending champion had ended up in a precarious position, with a probability of failing to advance into the playoffs. All Kevin Harvick needed was a caution on the track, and the wreck was the perfect way to call in a yellow flag—which NASCAR had to wave.

After the incident, Kevin Harvick denied the fact and expressed, “They can look at it 100 different ways, but you can’t quit. You can’t roll over and be done with it and say, ‘We tried our best.’

“I don’t need to defend myself.”  Moreover, the governing body did not penalize the driver for causing havoc on the track, and Harvick advanced to the next stage of the elimination round.

By posting a photo of the 2015 Talladega race, a fan raises the question: Had there been SMT data back then, would the outcome have been the same? Or would authorities might have decided otherwise and followed the protocol as they did with Elliott?

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Kevin Harvick gets chastised after the tweet goes viral

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After tweeting the picture of the wreck, fans showed their support for Griffin and highlighted how Harvick, manipulated the outcome of the whole race. 

In the comments, many wrote, “One of the reasons why I’ve never rooted for Harvick, intentionally causing the big one at Dega is more egregious than Bubba or Chase’s incidents.”

“Harvick robbed me and many other fans of what could’ve been an exciting finish. I generally don’t have strong negative feelings for any driver but this solidified my view of Harvick as a heel ever since”

“I’m not even a Dale Jr fan and this finish pissed me off. He got absolutely screwed and Harvick should’ve been penalized for that coward move.”

While others wrote, “I still believe Harvick should of been knocked out of the chase after this. robbed Newman and most likely Dale Jr. of playoff spots.”

“SMT would give us the same info that our eyes received when we saw the in-car.”

The question raised by the fan is surely legit. Had the technology been so advanced back then, many outcomes of the race would surely have changed. But it’s no use crying over spilled milk. However, the authorities can ensure transparency in declaring the punishment and ensure it is not repeated in the future.

Read More: After Painful News for Hendrick Motorsports and Ross Chastain, Fans Recall Dale Earnhardt Jr Ending His 143-Race Winless Streak on This Very Day