Viral video on Sunday captured NASCAR driver Ross Chastain slugging rival Noah Gragson in a heated post-race incident.
The violent exchange occurred when driver Denny Hamlin won the Kansas Speedway on Sunday after he broke into first place ahead of Kyle Larson. Chastain, who has a reputation for aggressiveness on the track, pinned Gragson to the wall around turn four, causing his car to spin around “in front of Brad Keselowski later in the race,” according to Fox News.
After the dust had cleared, Gragson confronted Chastain on pit road and a fight ensued. NASCAR officials stepped in to break it up after the two exchanged blows. Chastain finished fifth while Gregson finished 29th.
“I’m sick and tired of it,” Gragson said of his rival. “The guy runs into everyone. When you have guys like Chase Elliott and other guys telling you to beat his ass, everyone is just sick of him.”
Chastain said that his car tightened with Gragson around turn four and “definitely crowded him.”
“I got tight off 4 for sure,” Chastain said. “Noah and I have a very similar attitude on the racetrack. We train together, we prepare together, we know every little bit about each other. I definitely crowded him out of 4.”
“A very big man once told me we have a ‘no push policy’ here at Trackhouse,” he added.
Take a look:
Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson fight after the NASCAR Cup Series finish in Kansas! pic.twitter.com/EEbA4VeVZ0
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) May 7, 2023
Here’s what happened on pit road between @NoahGragson and @RossChastain. pic.twitter.com/MMcOLASlgq
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 7, 2023
As Breitbart News reported earlier this year, NASCAR banned Ross Chastain’s wall-huggling move at the 2022 Martinsville Cup playoff race.
“During the Oct. 30 race last year, Chastain drove his No. 1 Chevrolet up against the outside wall and gunned it taking him from tenth to fifth place in the final lap,” noted Breitbart News.
“It was a move that brought some complaints from other drivers, but officials sanctioned the move at the time, allowing Chastain to take his place as one of the finalists to go on to the Nov. 6 finale at Phoenix Raceway,” the report added. “NASCAR noted that it has not created a new rule but insists that its standing rule 10.5.2.6.A will now be read to cover the Martinsville move. Officials call it a matter of safety.”
Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed on Tubi, Google Play, YouTube Movies, or VIMEO On Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.