“I don’t care if I wreck the whole f—— field…I’m going to wreck his a–.” Kyle Busch was frustrated after Carson Hocevar cut him from the front during the Atlanta weekend earlier this year. His comments were ironic given how Rowdy has built his career. But this was not the first time when a veteran driver called out a younger driver for cutting them. Last year, Denny Hamlin didn’t hold back. He called out the lack of respect in NASCAR, especially among younger drivers.

“There’s certainly not a whole lot of respect amongst the drivers, especially in these green-white-checkered situations. We see it over and over, year after year, and it just keeps getting a little worse. There’s just no regard anymore. If there’s a quarter of a car width wide, someone’s gonna jam it in there in Turn 1, and if you spin, that’s not their problem,” he had said on his Action Detrimental podcast.

Hamlin wasn’t wrong. The aggression in the sport has ramped up over the years. Younger drivers are more aggressive, and the veteran racers have had to adapt. After all, the format, win, and you’re in also played a hand in getting the job done on the track for all the drivers. But Hamlin’s words rang hollow for many fans. He wasn’t just a victim of reckless racing—he had been a part of it. Years before he made those comments, Hamlin was at the center of one of the most controversial finishes in NASCAR history. His actions at Martinsville in 2017 put him in the villain’s role, and it was Chase Elliott, then a rising star, who stood up to him.

Denny Hamlin’s tail-between-his-leg moment at Martinsville

Martinsville’s 2017 playoff race was shaping up to be Chase Elliott’s breakthrough moment. The young driver was on the verge of his first career Cup Series win with just three laps to go. His No. 24 Chevrolet had held strong against the field, but lurking behind him was Denny Hamlin. In a flash, everything changed. With less than 3 Laps to go in the race, Hamlin’s patience was wearing thin, and he did what most drivers in his situation would – put his bumper to the use.

The No. 11 got into the back of Elliott’s car, sending him spinning into the wall. The crowd erupted in boos as Elliott’s chances of victory disappeared. No.11 Toyota took the lead momentarily and returned a payback on the restart. Not just Hamlin but multiple drivers ended the race wrecking into each other. Kyle Busch was there to collect the spoils and was first in the line while the field behind him was busy with an on-track melee.

But Elliott came searching for Hamlin, and he was furious. On the cool-down lap, he hunted down Hamlin and slammed into his car, pushing him up against the wall. Once parked, the two drivers climbed out of their cars and exchanged words. Elliott, visibly furious, shouted, “You wrecked me! You wrecked me! You know you wrecked me!” Hamlin shook his head in denial, but the damage was done.

Later, in an NBC interview, Hamlin admitted he made contact but insisted it wasn’t intentional. “I got in the back of him, and he spun. I’m trying to get a race win. Everybody wrecked everyone at the end. It was a mess. I hate it for his team, but this was a ticket to Homestead.” His words did little to ease the anger from Elliott’s camp or the fans,” he said. However, Elliott, on the other hand, kept his composure. He didn’t need to say much. “He’s not worth my time, so we’ll move on to Texas,” Elliott said.

Notably, this was a very important race for both drivers. While Elliott was looking for his maiden Cup series win, Hamlin was hunting down his first Cup series championship. According to Hamlin, he was looking for the move as he was not confident in his progress to the next round based on points. “We weren’t having a great season in 2017, and I was like, ‘I’m in the final eight.’ And I’m like, ‘If I win this race, I can punch my ticket,’ because I was not confident I was gonna get there on points,” he said during the Stacking Pennies show in 2022.

However, the controversy didn’t die there. Just two weeks later, Elliott got his payback. In the Round of 8 cutoff race at Phoenix, the No. 24 car found itself once again battling Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota. This time, it was Elliott who was in control. As the laps wound down, Elliott and Hamlin traded blows. Hamlin’s car suffered a tire rub from the contact, and moments later, he smacked the wall.

Hamlin’s maiden championship hopes were over. However, Elliott, who finished second, made sure everyone knew it was fair game. “I’m going to race guys how they race me,” he said post-race. This moment defined Chase Elliott’s character as he earned the respect of the NASCAR Nation. Now, years later, as he returns to Martinsville, the NASCAR world expects Elliott to revive his struggling season.

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NASCAR veteran backs Elliott for a comeback at Martinsville!

Chase Elliott’s 2025 season hasn’t gone as planned. After winning the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, hopes were high for the No. 9 team. But since then, Elliott has yet to find Victory Lane, and the pressure is mounting. However, NASCAR veteran and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon believes Martinsville could be Elliott’s turning point.

“I feel like they came into the season with a lot of momentum. They’ve got a lot of confidence. I think the last couple of weeks have been frustrating for them, but they’re a solid team with a lot of depth. Martinsville might just be his shot,” Gordon said. Notably, Elliott’s history at Martinsville backs up Gordon’s confidence. He finished second in last year’s playoff race and third in the spring event.

Additionally, he’s the only driver who finished in the top 10 in every Cup Series short-track race last season. His performance at the Clash at Bowman Gray earlier this year also showed that his short-track skills are still sharp. Elliott knows what it takes to win at Martinsville, and with the weight of expectations at Hendrick Motorsports, this could be his moment to turn the season around. The Grandfather Clock trophy awaits. The fans are behind him. And if there’s any place for Chase Elliott to remind the NASCAR world who he is, it’s Martinsville Speedway.