Tempers flare between Elliott and Hamlin after "uncalled for" contact

Chase Elliott had cleared Brad Keselowski to take the lead late in Sunday’s First Data 500 but with two races remaining, Hamlin plowed into the back of his car and sent him into the wall in Turn 3.

The wreck sent the race into overtime, where Hamlin himself got moved out of the racing groove and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Kyle Busch, went on to claim the win and the right to race for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship at the season finale at Homestead, Fla.

On the last lap, Hamlin and Elliott and several others got collected in a wreck on the frontstretch. Shortly after those involved drove off, Elliott drove into the side of Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, squeezing him into the wall.

Once the two got out of their cars, the two got in a heated verbal confrontation that was broadcast on the speedway’s giant infield TV.

Each time it showed Elliott, the crowd roared. Each time, Hamlin’s face was showed, a loud chorus of boos rang down, drowning out the noise from Victory Lane.

“Well, he said I wrecked him and obviously Ray Charles saw that,” Hamlin said of his conversation with Elliott on the track. “Obviously, it wasn’t intentional, I just wanted to move him out of the way. I tried to get to his back bumper and slide him up the track and I just went too deep.

“It was no different than him washing (Keselowski) up the race track. We can play favorites if we want but unfortunately there is a ticket to Homestead at stake.”

Asked about Busch’s move on him to start the overtime, Hamlin said, “I mean I can’t judge it too much, I spun (Elliott) out. I didn’t think he’d move me, but all’s fair in love and war when it comes to Homestead.”

Elliott's take

Elliott said Hamlin claimed someone had got into him and that’s what sent him into the back of Elliott’s No. 24 Chevrolet.

“It’s just not necessary. We had a great restart and there was nobody pushing him into Turn 3. So, I wanted to see the replay. That’s what I thought happened and that’s what happened. And it’s definitely 100 percent unnecessary and uncalled for,” Elliott said.

“My momma always said if you don’t have anything nice (to say) not to say anything at all. So, it’s not even worth my time. We’ll just go on to Texas.”

Asked to clarify what kind of bumping is considered “OK,” Elliott said, “What happened in Turn 3 was over the line.

“These fans have been coming here for a long time and they know when somebody gets wrecked and when somebody has a nice fight for the lead and that wasn’t one.”

Elliott’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, said he recognized there was a lot on the line but hoped Hamlin remembered his reasons for making the move he did.

“I’m cool with it,” Gustafson said. “When we have his back tires jacked up in probably (Turn) 3 at Texas – that will be a bigger corner – then he just needs to be good with that, too.”