NASCAR Fist Fight: Ross Chastain & Noah Gragson Go At It!
on May 08, 2023
Tempers flared at Kansas Speedway during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, as drivers Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson got into a post-race altercation. Denny Hamlin had just won the race, but the focus soon turned to the incident between Chastain and Gragson.
This. Race. Wow. 😤 pic.twitter.com/ZOWplTLxVb
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 8, 2023
Chastain, known for his aggressive driving style, had pinned Gragson to the wall during the race, causing him to spin out.
Chastain confronted Gragson after the race and that’s when a physical altercation ensued. Chastain threw a punch that appeared to connect, and Gragson attempted to retaliate before being pulled away by security.
Gragson expressed frustration with Chastain’s driving style in an interview video below, stating that “everyone is just sick of him. I’m sick and tired of it. The guy runs into everyone. When you have guys like Chase Elliott and other guys telling you to beat his a**, everyone is just sick of him.”
Chastain took some responsibility for the incident but did not have much to say about the punch.
“I got tight off four for sure,” Chastain said. “Noah and I have a very similar attitude on the race track. We train together, we prepare together, we know every little bit about each other. I definitely crowded him out of four. A very big man once told me we have a ‘no push policy’ here at Trackhouse”
Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson fight after the NASCAR Cup Series finish in Kansas! pic.twitter.com/EEbA4VeVZ0
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) May 7, 2023
Both drivers finished the race with significantly different results, with Chastain finishing fifth and Gragson finishing 29th.
Despite the altercation, the race had several noteworthy moments, with Hamlin claiming the $7.5 million prize pool after ending his 33-race winless drought.
He also gave his team its 400th win overall in NASCAR’s top series. The hottest race day of the season, with temperatures reaching 89 degrees, added to the challenge of the race.
Don’t overlook how @dennyhamlin‘s pit crew kept him in the hunt. pic.twitter.com/cHKRVBh1gE
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 8, 2023
The next race, the Throwback Weekend, will take place at Darlington in South Carolina on May 14. This race has become increasingly popular with fans, as drivers will pay homage to their fathers by sporting throwback paint schemes on their cars.
For example, Elliott’s No. 9 car will look like his father’s car from 2003, and Harrison Burton’s No. 21 will resemble his father’s old paint scheme.
Overall, the Kansas race was filled with drama, both on and off the track. Fans will undoubtedly be anticipating the next race, hoping for more excitement and less physical altercations.
