Chase Elliott reflects on suspension stemming from Denny Hamlin wreck at Charlotte

Ahead of his return this weekend in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, Chase Elliott addressed his one-race suspension for intentionally wrecking Denny Hamlin during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Prior to his return this weekend, @chaseelliott reflects on what happened at Charlotte and how he's moving on from the penalty. pic.twitter.com/52NtOUdOdP

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 6, 2023

“Certainly it was an unfortunate circumstance on many accounts,” Elliott said Tuesday. “I hate that we’re in the position that we’re in. Obviously it’s been a pretty wild year — even prior to last week or two weeks ago. But yeah, look, I hate that I put our team and our partners and our fans and all the folks that make us go in a tough spot. Certainly glad Denny’s OK and I understand NASCAR’s call and what they felt like they needed to do.”

NASCAR suspended Elliott for the Lap 186 crash that occurred on the front stretch after Elliott made contact with the wall coming out of Turn 4 with Hamlin beside him. Elliott appeared to take exception with being squeezed against the wall by Hamlin, and responded by deliberately hooking him.

“That is just so immature to right-rear hook someone. It’s just childish and it just pisses me off,” Hamlin said. “You gotta be better than that. … Chase Elliott made comments May 1 about how he felt how unsafe he felt the cars were. But yet, you think that’s OK. It doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever.”

Chase Elliott in desperate need of a win to qualify for playoffs

Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway was Elliott’s seventh absence this Cup Series season. He previously missed six races earlier this season after fracturing the tibia in his left leg in a snowboarding accident.

Currently sitting 28th in the points standings, Elliott will almost surely need to find his way into victory lane in the final 11 races of the regular season to have a shot at qualifying for the playoffs.

“For me personally, just kind of looking forward to getting back to work and just trying to get in a groove because I don’t really feel like I’ve been in one throughout the year,” Elliott said. “It’s been kind of stop-and-go all season, unfortunately. But the way I see it is there’s 11 races left, and we pretty much need to go win one of those to get in the [playoffs]. So, that’s where my head’s at right now.”