Business is back as usual for Team Penske and Joey Logano as they kick-start their 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoff run with a win. Everything worked out in Logano’s favor in an overtime finish when he was up against Daniel Suarez. Additionally, Penske driver and teammate Ryan Blaney also played his part, giving the No. 22 a good push on the restart.

While Joey Logano was edging closer to the start-finish line, an enormous crash ensued, coming off to turn 4 to the front stretch. Chase Elliott, trying to get a jump on position on the final lap of the race, got into the back of Ross Chastain. Losing all the momentum, the Trackhouse Racing driver rammed into the wall, and next thing you know, multiple cars, including Bubba Wallace’s #23, were caught in a big one.

There could’ve been a case of Chastain running low on fuel as all the momentum he gained on the first of the final two laps just disappeared. However, the fans online were insinuating that Elliott purposely got into Chastain. Owing to this big wreck, the race had to flag with a yellow checkered finish, granting Daniel Suarez a second-place finish.

“The top lane was fine. I was trying to give Ross a pretty big push, which I think was going to propel. I was too far back to get clear of my lane, advance two more. But yeah, trying to get to Ross there, and I got hit as I was hitting his bumper and unfortunately got him into the fence and just checked our momentum. Yeah, it was a solid day; all things considered, it could’ve been a lot worse,” Chase Elliott said after the race.

Despite Elliott’s clarification on the late-race incident, fans weren’t too keen on buying into his explanation. Rather, they believed Rick Hendrick and his drivers were not over with their skirmish with Ross Chastain from last year. Thus, trying to pick on him whenever they can. In fact, last year matters between Ross Chastain and Hendrick Motorsports went so bad that Rick Hendrick himself spoke out in that.

Last year, Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Kyle Larson was wrecked for the third time in the four races because of Chastain’s antics on the track. The third one came in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway in May 14, 2023. Incidentally, HMS’ William Byron won his series-high third Cup victory on that occasion. But it could well have been Kyle.

Chastain and Larson were battling for the lead on a restart with six laps to go when trouble began. Chastain made contact with Larson and they hit. Chastain’s right rear hit Larson’s left front. The contact spun Chastain’s car and damaged the left front of Larson’s car, crushing his chances of a victory. Larson eventually finished 20th. The second of the series came in Dover on May 1, 2023.

Chastain got into the back of Brennan Poole, sending Poole’s car up into Larson, ending his chances to win. Larson finished in the 32nd position. This followed the first wreck on April 23, 2023, in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Chastain’s contact with Noah Gragson at the front of the field created an accordion effect that collected Larson and ended his race throwing him to the 33rd position. Crew chief Cliff Daniels was furious after the Darlington wreck. “Why did he just run right into the fence? How does that make any sense? … Make that three races now that he’s taken us out, Chevrolet. Good job. Good job. That’s three races that (No.) 1 car has taken us out of,” Daniels had told Larson on the radio. Understandably, Hendrick also did not mince his words.

“I don’t care if he’s driving a Chevrolet if he wrecks our cars. I don’t care. I’ve told Chevrolet that. If you wreck us, you’re going to get it back. If you don’t do it, they’ll run all over you,” the Hall of Famer owner said of Chastain, who drives the No.1 Chevy for Trackhouse Racing. As he was asked if he needed to get involved, Hendrick took Chastain’s team owner, Justin Marks’ name. “I would think Justin would have a conversation” with Chastain, Hendrick had commented. With the latest developments, fans were convinced that the feud is still alive.

Fans speculate that Chase Elliott’s intentionally wrecked Chastain

Ross Chastain was banking on the outside lane for the restart, and Elliott was right behind him. It wasn’t just Chastain who lost the momentum; the entire top lane crumbled, and the momentum was with the drivers on the inside lane. However, in the eyes of this race fan, it was the HMS star who deliberately left Chastain high and dry, eventually gaining a position by unfair means. “god damn. Chase completely junked the restart (as he usually does) so the outside lane had no momentum and then wrecked Ross.”

This isn’t the first instance where fans are calling out Rick Hendrick’s stars trying to take out a Trackhouse Racing driver. Chastain was in a commanding position to win at Nashville Speedway, but Kyle Larson, trying to get back at Hamlin, took out the driver of the #1 Chevy from the lead. One-off incidents can be understood, but this being a recurring theme caused outrage among the fans. “Once again a Hendrick driver crashes over a solid Chastain day. Justin Marks needs to talk to their drivers.”

It was a double whammy for Trackhouse Racing fans, who almost saw a repeat of the spring race, where Suarez won in a thrilling three-wide finish. But, thanks to the late race antics by Elliott, it eventually ended Suarez’s hopes for a win and saw Chastain being rammed into the safer barriers. Such a coincidence was hard to swallow for this ardent THR fan. “So not only did Suarez not win but another Hendrick wreck on Ross? Unbelievable.”

The melon man certainly didn’t make a lot of friends with his aggressive style of racing. Last year, he ran into trouble with all four of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Alex Bowman even confronted Chastain following an on-track skirmish at Atlanta. Although the tempers flared up after he rammed into Kyle Larson at Darlington, costing him a potential win. Therefore, reacting to today’s incident, this fan believed it was nothing but a payback that has long been due for the Trackhouse Racing driver. “And that’s it! hMS got the full sweep on Chastain.”

Following the Darlington race, Rick Hendrick had choice words for Chastain. “He doesn’t have to be that aggressive. I guess at this point in the race maybe you’re super aggressive, but you just don’t run people up in the fence. He’s going to make a lot of enemies. It’s hard to win a championship when you’ve got a lot of paybacks out there,” Hendrick had said. Although it might seem the two parties were at peace for a long time, today’s incident was reason enough for this fan to believe that HMS has reignited this rivalry, “hendrick happened again.”

What do you make of this late-race incident? Was Elliott in the wrong trying to force the issue, or was it just an unfortunate contact that saw Chastain wreck into the wall?