After an eventful race that saw the return of the Ford to the podium, Coca-Cola 600 was nothing short of a 5-hour racing adventure with controversies, and pure aggression spilling all along the way with a well-deserved winner. While Ryan Blaney‘s stellar victory brought much-needed momentum for Ford and his #12 team, Charlotte Motor Speedway also witnessed a heated exchange between the returning HMS speedster, Chase Elliott, and veteran Denny Hamlin.
After returning from his earlier snowboarding accident, NASCAR’s poster boy’s return has been a sort of feeling-out process for the driver. Despite his impressive performances at Kansas and Darlington where he stood his ground and finished the race 7th and 3rd, the iconic North Carolina track spelled disaster for the 27-year-old.
While Blaney put out a clinical performance that earned him the W, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s heated back and forth with the #9 driver is the talk of the town now. Following the race, Hamlin was seen frustrated as he vented out his disappointment on Elliot, calling out his “bulls**t move.”
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Denny Hamlin Takes a Jab at His Latest Adversary, Chase Elliott, Following Their Battle at Charlotte
After the not-so-engaging All Star Race, the Coca-Cola 600 was quite exciting. It definitely had all the elements for a thriller of a race, such as controversies, actions, and a great comeback at the end for Ryan Blaney. As the #12 Ford reigned victoriously, the crowds embraced the return of Blaney, chanting and cheering the driver as he joined the fans in the stands.
While Blaney’s celebration was a feel-good finish, the community also saw a heated exchange between #9 and #11 drivers. Hamlin claimed Elliott’s move was a retaliation for pushing the driver up the track. Speaking to the media during the delay, Elliott explained the situation as he painted a different picture, blaming it on “unfortunate circumstances.”
Despite the battle ending awfully for both, Hamlin’s initial push proved costly as Elliott pushed back Hamlin on lap 186, eventually ending the race for both as Hamlin’s Camry had major front-end damages while Elliott also suffered massively. Later, during a mid-race interview, Elliott cleared rumors about revenge when he said, “No, like I said, once you hit the wall in these things, you can’t drive them anymore. So no, just unfortunate circumstances.”
But furious Hamlin did not let this slide as he took to his Twitter to call out Elliott for his unnecessary move, claiming it was Elliott’s purposeful left hook that stopped his advance. The veteran driver also provided numbers and proper analytics to back his stance, pointing out the HMS driver’s bitter decision.
Hamlin Slams Elliott as the Veteran Comes Out With Solid Evidence Pointing Out Elliott’s Intentions
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The 42-year-old was having decent success on the track. Stage 1 saw the driver advancing ahead while also managing to hold his ground amidst the rest of the pack breathing down his neck. But things quickly got out of hand as Hamlin entered the corner wide, pushing off the #9 Chevy right to him into the walls.
Elliott, on the other hand, came back with a stiff response as he slammed into Hamlin’s rear, taking him for a spin and into the wall. Soon the #11 driver revealed his thoughts about the frustrating incident to the media.
Hamlin came out with sharp words. He said, “Yeah, it’s a tantrum and he shouldn’t be racing next week, right rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable.“
Furthermore, he went on to reveal Elliott’s cold intentions as he put forward some interesting data. Kansas winner, Denny Hamlin exposed to the world the in-car charts that underline the #9 driver’s motive behind the act.
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He also wrote, “Absolute left hook. Cranked the wheel 4X harder left than he did making any corner through the whole day. Bullsh*t move.”
Absolute left hook. Cranked the wheel 4X harder left than he did making any corner through the whole day. Bullsh*t move. pic.twitter.com/6DylWjKyVu
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) May 29, 2023
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WATCH THIS STORY: Denny Hamlin announced the launch of the “new Bubba Wallace” as they close the self-doubt chapter
As Blaney took home the win, the latest updates suggest the beginning of a new rivalry. Hamlin and Elliott certainly have a situation at hand. Will this spark a new chapter for the drivers, or will this turn into a bloody feud?