CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR suspended Chase Elliott for one race on Tuesday, one day after the five-time most popular driver and former Cup champion deliberately wrecked Denny Hamlin in the Coca-Cola 600.
Hendrick Motorsports said in a statement it will not appeal the suspension and Corey Lajoie will replace the Dawsonville, Georgia driver in the No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend at Gateway, outside of St. Louis.
“We understand NASCAR’s need to maintain consistency in its officiating,” Hendrick Motorsports said in a statement.
Elliott denied deliberately crashing Hamlin with a dangerous left hook into Hamlin’s car during the rain-rescheduled race Monday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Hamlin countered with simulated data he posted on social media after the crash, then double-downed on calls for Elliott to be suspended on his Tuesday podcast.
Hamlin owns the car driven by Bubba Wallace, who was suspended one race last year for deliberately hooking Kyle Larson in a race in Las Vegas. The move is considered one of the most dangerous in NASCAR.
NASCAR cited Sections 4.3.A and 4.4.C & D of the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct laid out in the NASCAR Rule Book in Elliott’s suspension.
Section 4.3.A cites NASCAR member conduct and states “correct and proper conduct, both on and off the racetrack, is part of a member’s responsibilities.” Section 4.4.C lists “removing another competitor from championship contention in a dangerous manner when not racing for position based on the available evidence and specific circumstances of the incident” as one of two actions that could result in a penalty, including race suspensions.
Listed as an example in the rule book is “clearly forcing another competitor into the wall in an abrupt and unambiguous manner,” while Section 4.4.D lists “actions by a NASCAR member that NASCAR finds to be detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR” as an action that could result in a fine and/or indefinite suspension.
