That didn’t take long. Tuesday NASCAR suspended driver Chase Elliott for the next NASCAR Cup series race after officials ruled Elliott intentionally crashed Denny Hamlin on Lap 186 of Monday’s rescheduled Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Elliott turned left into Hamlin’s right-rear quarter panel and sent the No. 11 Toyota head-on into the outside SAFER barrier on the front straightaway after a squeeze from Hamlin led Elliott to brush the wall at the exit of Turn 4.
Monday’s incident was similar to a move made by Bubba Wallace on Kyle Larson during the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last year that ended with both cars crash and later led to a one race suspension for Wallace that many felt set a precedent for the Hamlin-Elliott incident.
The suspension means Elliott will miss his seventh race of the 2023 season. The 2020 Cup champion suffered a broken left leg in a snowboarding accident in March, sidelining him for six races until his return on April 16 at Martinsville Speedway. Josh Berry filled in for the five oval events Elliott missed, scoring a career-best second-place finish on April 2 at Richmond Raceway. Jordan Taylor made his Cup debut as Elliott’s substitute at Circuit of The Americas, where he qualified fourth and finished 24th.
Tuesday Hendrick Motorsports said they will not appeal the penalty and that Corey LaJoie, 31, will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend:
“We understand NASCAR’s need to maintain consistency in its officiating. The penalty will not be appealed, and we will submit a formal request for a playoff waiver.
Corey LaJoie, 31, will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. We are grateful to Corey for stepping in and to the team at Spire Motorsports for making him available.”
Spires Motorsports said they have tapped Carson Hocevar to replace LaJoie Sunday. Hocevar will be making his NASCAR Cup debut.
“We’re always happy to help our friends at Hendrick Motorsports and couldn’t be prouder to see Corey LaJoie get the opportunity of a lifetime to race a Hendrick Motorsports’ Chevrolet”
-Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson. https://t.co/yZuNLWdlNV— Spire Motorsports (@SpireMotorsport) May 30, 2023
Also on the weekly report:
Front Row Motorsports’ No. 34 team was also penalized after Monday’s race when the right-front tire detached from the vehicle at Lap 344, a violation detailed in Sections 8.8.10.4.C in the NASCAR Rule Book, pertaining to loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from the vehicle. NASCAR suspended front-tire changer Scott Brzozowski and jackman Adam Lewis for the next two races.
In the Xfinity Series, Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Jeff Meendering was fined $5,000 after the No. 18 Toyota was found with one lug nut not securely fastened following Monday’s Alsco Uniforms 300. The penalty falls under Sections 8.8.10.4a in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rule Book, which states, “all tire(s)/wheel(s) and all five lug nuts must be installed in a safe and secure manner during the event.”
Additionally, the No. 74 CHK Racing team was docked 10 owners points while driver Dawson Cram was docked 10 driver points. Officials cited Sections 14.4.12.1.G & H of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rule Book for the penalty, addressing the quarter window and NASCAR-mandated NACA duct and outlet hose that must be used at all ovals 1.33 miles and longer.
Derek Hartnagel, truck chief for the No. 43 GMS Racing team, was issued an indefinite suspension. The penalty report references Sections 4.1 and 10.1.A of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rule Book, which addresses NASCAR’s substance abuse policy and actions detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR, respectively.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.