NASCAR Insider Shuts Down Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Former Spotter by “Chase Elliott ‘Sucker-punching’ Denny Hamlin” Argument

One of the biggest talking points after the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway was a revenge job. During the race, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin were going at it hammer and tongs. Unfortunately, it looked like the two of them got a little carried away in their dogfight. Sometime during the struggle, Elliott and Hamlin collided, with the former getting pushed to the wall. Elliott did not appreciate that and seemed to have intentionally spun his rival around and wrecked him.

Unfortunately for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, NASCAR latched onto the stunt and came down on him. As a result, the #9 Chevy driver is facing a one-race suspension for his actions, which is the last thing he needs. Especially considering all that he has gone through this season, and he is desperate to qualify for the Playoffs.

Several experts have shared their views on the incident, with a majority opinion tilting in Denny Hamlin‘s favor.

NASCAR insiders are divided on the Denny Hamlin vs Chase Elliott incident

The incident was taken up during the latest episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast. 23XI Racing spotter Freddie Kraft acknowledged that the intention was clear-cut. As a result, Elliott’s suspension was inevitable, right from the get-go. When it happened to Bubba Wallace in 2022, that set the precedent. This was because it was the first time a driver was punished for intentionally wrecking a rival. Kraft also clarified that Wallace was punished for wrecking Larson, not for brawling with the #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver.

In response to this, NASCAR insider Brett Griffin opened up on the situation, saying, “I think its the exact same thing as what Bubba did to Larson, and I thought that was dirty. What Chase did to Denny is dirty. It is equivalent to sucker-punching somebody in a bar. If you want to get in a fight, get in a fight, man up.”

WATCH THIS STORY: “Ross [Chastain] Manipulated It” – NASCAR Insider Put the Sport Under Heavy Scrutiny, Proclaiming They “Screwed up Denny’s Penalty”

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s former spotter TJ Majors argues back

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The bottom line, as per Kraft and Griffin, is that to maintain consistency and a sense of integrity, Elliott should receive the same punishment. Interestingly, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s former spotter, TJ Majors tried to justify Elliott’s actions. He pointed out that Hamlin pushed his rival toward the wall before Elliott hooked his right-rear. He said, “I don’t know if that’s a sucker punch. Denny actually did put him in the wall. So there was kind of a pushing first.”

However, Griffin was not having any of it. Emphasizing that Elliott’s move was unnecessary, Griffin added, “Do you think Chase’s day was over at that point? Do you think his car was really hurt?”

So far, the 2020 Cup Series champion has been enduring a nightmare season. After just a couple of races, he was sidelined for several weeks due to an injury while snowboarding. This obviously became a massive headache for the Hendrick Motorsports team, but they managed to scramble for a replacement. Before long, he was back in action once again, but last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 shenanigans threw a spanner in the works.

On the bright side, Elliott is only out for one race and will be back for the rest of the season. This provides him with plenty of chances for redemption, as long as he does not get involved in other tussles. Luckily for him, he has been granted a waiver by NASCAR for the second time this season and is still eligible for a playoff spot.

READ MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr Joins Hands With Corey LaJoie in Chase Elliott’s Defence as He Rubbishes Favoritism Claims