When a Chase Elliott fan insisted on fighting Denny Hamlin in person

NASCAR drivers Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin competed in the Cup Series playoff race at Martinsville in 2017. An on-track incident between the pair led a fuming Elliott fan into the pits, where he insisted on fighting Hamlin.

Elliott pilots the #9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, competing full-time in the Cup Series. The 28-year-old has secured one championship in 2020 and has 19 Cup race wins in a career spanning ten years. Moreover, Elliott was also crowned the 2014 Xfinity Series champion and the 2022 Cup Series regular-season champion.

Elliott was piloting the #24 Chevrolet for HMS in 2017. In the closing laps of the First Data 500 playoff race at Martinsville, Hamlin bumped into Elliott's #24 Chevy, spinning him off and sending him into the wall. The incident led to an early exit for the #24 driver, who had been having a good race until the incident at turn three.

Fans were not pleased with Hamlin's race-ending move on Elliott. Moreover, one fan was seen trying to pick a fight with Hamlin in the pits after the race ended.

Here's a look at the incident (via @MattweaverRA on X)

The hot-tempered fan almost reached Denny Hamlin before one of the driver's crew members intervened. Police officials eventually escorted the fan off the pit road.

Three weeks later at Phoenix Raceway, Chase Elliott returned the favor to the #11 driver. Elliott spun Hamlin off, which eventually ended his race and his playoff run. In a post-race interview at Phoenix, Elliott was asked about this incident and whether it was in retaliation to what happened in Martinsville. Here's a look at both on-track incidents and Elliott's response (via NASCAR on NBC).

"I'm gonna race guys how they race me."

Chase Elliott finished the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in P5, with Denny Hamlin right behind him in P6.

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"Not worth my time" - Chase Elliott comments on the incident with Denny Hamlin at Martinsville

Chase Elliott's race ended prematurely when Denny Hamlin spun him out while attempting to pass. This incident prevented Elliott from finishing the race.

However, Elliott was witnessed door-slamming Hamlin on the cooldown lap, expressing his frustration with the latter's attempt to move past him. The pair were seen having a heated conversation as the cars came to a halt. Elliott was asked about his thoughts on the incident in a post-race interview, to which he said:

"He came over and talked to me on the back straightaway and funny thing was, he said somebody was pushing him, but there were two car lengths between him and the next guy. My mom always said 'You don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all,' so he's not even worth my time. We're gonna go on to Texas."

Elliot finished the First Data 500 in a disappointing P27, whereas Denny Hamlin finished 20 cars ahead of him, in P7.