“It's a call we needed to make” - Steve Phelps opens up about Chase Elliott suspension decision

Midway through the season, Chase Elliott has missed almost half of the races. After being sidelined for six weeks as he recovered from his injury, Elliott will now miss the Enjoy Illinois 300, at the World Wide Technology Raceway. This is due to being suspended by NASCAR.

NASCAR president Steve Phelps recently admitted that they found it difficult to suspend the series' most popular driver. However, he added, that they needed to make the call, after suspending Bubba Wallace last season for a similar offense.

Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass shared his conversation with Phelps on Twitter. According to Pockrass, NASCAR's president said:

"It would be difficult to have a conversation with Denny or Bubba or someone else and say, ‘Hey, it was not OK for Bubba to do it and it's OK for Chase to do it. … We hate it, but it's a call we needed to make."

Elliott's move, which wrecked Denny Hamlin in the Coca-Cola 600 was similar to Bubba Wallace's contact with Kyle Larson in the fall race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last year. Wallace earned a one-race suspension for his dangerous move on the #5 Chevrolet driver.

Fans argued that penalizing Chase Elliott, NASCAR's most popular driver, wouldn't be great for the series itself. However, as Steve Phelps pointed out, it would be unfair to dish out penalties for Bubba Wallace and not penalize Elliott for committing the same offense.

Wallace, who served a one-race suspension last season, is happy that the governing body is putting its foot down and punishing the guilty drivers and teams.

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Denny Hamlin reacts to Chase Elliott's suspension

Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300

Denny Hamlin's #11 Toyota was the victim of Chase Elliott's right rear hook at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Even before NASCAR looked at the incident, Hamlin advocated that Elliott's move deserved a one-race ban.

Ahead of the Enjoy Illinois 300, the #11 Toyota driver said this about NASCAR suspending Elliott:

"They are putting a line in the sand of what they deem acceptable and what they don't. Certainly, I think with all the information they have nowadays, it's easier to confirm what they think they see with the naked eye. This is probably a point where all the drivers recognize now what you can and can't do."

Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, recalled the time his driver, Bubba Wallace, received the same penalty:

"I publicly reprimanded Bubba for those actions last year. It was absolutely unacceptable and we were very public as a race team on what we thought about that move."

Denny Hamlin has spoken to Chase Elliott after the incident but didn't reveal the contents of their conversation.