Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has never backed down from a fight, whether it’s on the track or off it. Over the years, he has earned a reputation as one of NASCAR’s most aggressive and unapologetic drivers. He’s never afraid to make bold moves, even if they end in wrecks. And when it comes to confrontations, Stenhouse is always ready to throw down. Just ask Kyle Busch, who ended up on the receiving end of a punch after a heated discussion at North Wilkesboro last year.

His unapologetic style has made him a polarizing figure in the garage. So, when an online back-and-forth between Stenhouse and Noah Gragson erupted after the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) race, many fans assumed it was another brewing rivalry. The exchange, which started with Gragson referencing their run-in at Daytona, quickly escalated into playful trash talk. Given Stenhouse’s history, it was easy to believe tensions were real. But now, Stenhouse has spoken out to set the record straight.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drops the ‘friendship’ bombshell!

Hours before the Shriners Children 500, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Noah Gragson found themselves in an online brawl. It all started when Gragson quote-posted onboard footage of his Lap 5 slide at COTA. In his post, he took a shot at Stenhouse Jr, writing: “So close to getting @StenhouseJr back from Daytona.” For those who may have missed it, this was a direct callback to the 2025 Daytona 500. With just 15 laps to go, Stenhouse attempted to block Joey Logano, who had Gragson right behind him.

The aggressive block led to an eight-car wreck that collected several contenders—including Gragson. While it’s common for drivers to hold grudges over wrecks, bringing it up weeks later in a tweet had fans questioning. However, Stenhouse Jr. wasted no time responding, quoting Gragson’s post with a jab of his own. “Need to run more dirt, sent that a little fast for a slide job,” he posted. The banter escalated further when Gragson bought a leaderboard reference.

Amid all this online drama, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. interacted with the media at the Phoenix Raceway. Ahead of the 2025 Shriners Children 500, the Hyak Motorsports driver revealed that his online banter with Noah Gragson is just part of the fun. NASCAR insider Matt Weaver reported that Stenhouse claimed he and Gragson were just having fun. According to Stenhouse, he even gave Gragson a heads-up that a response was coming. “He told me, ‘I’ve got one in the chamber ready to send back,’” Stenhouse said.

His comments suggested that the entire exchange was pre-planned—just two friends entertaining the NASCAR world with some playful trash talk. However, considering Stenhouse’s history, it’s very hard to buy this response. If there’s one thing Stenhouse has proven over the years, it’s that he doesn’t let things go easily. His altercation with Kyle Busch at North Wilkesboro remains one of the wildest NASCAR fights in recent history.

After getting wrecked early, Stenhouse had to sit and stew for nearly 200 laps. By the time Busch walked past, Stenhouse had seen enough. Words were exchanged, tempers flared, and then—BAM—Stenhouse landed a punch on Busch’s face. Chaos erupted as NASCAR security jumped in, team members got involved, and the brawl turned into an all-out melee. So, while Stenhouse may claim he and Gragson are just messing around, history suggests that things could escalate at any moment. However, we might not have to wait long as Shriner’s Children’s 500 is just a few hours away.

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Can Stenhouse Jr. turn around his Phoenix history?

Despite his controversial reputation, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been putting together a solid start to the 2025 season. He heads into the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway looking to build on his early momentum. Despite some crashes, he kicked off the season with a strong performance at Daytona, with a 17th-place finish. In Atlanta, he improved his run with a fifth-place finish.

However, Phoenix Raceway hasn’t always been kind to Stenhouse, but he remains determined to improve. In 24 Cup Series starts at the track, he has only one top-five and two top-10 finishes. His best finish came in 2017 when he placed fourth. Since moving to the No. 47 Chevrolet, his best run at Phoenix was 12th in 2021. This weekend presents an opportunity for Stenhouse to turn that around and secure a strong finish.

Outside of the racetrack, Stenhouse is also making headlines with his off-track activities. This weekend, he will attend the Arizona State vs. Gonzaga baseball game, where he will participate in pre-game activities and give the famous “Play Ball” announcement. Meanwhile, Noah Gragson is also looking to gain momentum. He finished eighth at COTA and now sits 27th in the driver standings.

Gragson has proven to be a fierce competitor at Phoenix, with one win and multiple top-10 finishes in the Xfinity Series. He hopes to replicate that success in the Cup Series as he pilots the No. 4 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang this weekend. With both Stenhouse and Gragson continuing to make waves on and off the track, their so-called “friendly” rivalry will be something to keep an eye on.