Sports

Chase Elliott Calls Out NASCAR For Fining Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and shares fight video

Published

1 month ago

May 25, 2024

Chase Elliott Calls Out NASCAR For Fining Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and shares fight video

Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, criticized NASCAR after the sanctioning body imposed a record fine on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earlier this week. for his role in a battle following last Sunday’s All-Star Race in North Wilkesboro.

Elliott was aware that Stenhouse had been fined for punching Kyle Busch, but the 2020 Cup Series champion did not know the exact amount before being informed during a press conference Friday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway venue of Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.

Stenhouse was fined $75,000, the largest fine in NASCAR history for a fighting driver. Elliott seemed in disbelief when he heard the exact dollar figure.

“Seventy-five thousand? Wow,” Elliott said. “I heard he got a fine, but I didn’t know it was $75,000.

“Yes, that’s a lot. That is a lot of money. That seems wild to me.”

Elliott’s stunned reaction comes as NASCAR fined Stenhouse despite actively sharing footage of the fight via his social media channels. What Elliott took issue with is what he sees as a double standard, where NASCAR has touted the fight multiple times but not only punished Stenhouse, but has done so by imposing a record fine.

“That seems like a lot for this situation,” Elliott said. ‘You’re going to fine him, but you’re going to get promoted with it? Like: what are we doing? That’s a bit strange to me.

‘That’s a lot of money to fine someone. It’s not okay, but we’re going to do everything we can to get more clicks. I don’t really agree with that.”

Elliott is not the only director to raise the issue. Daniel Suarez posted a similar sentiment on X.

“If it’s so wrong, why is it all over NASCAR’s social channels?” Suarez posted. “We should be allowed to show our emotions, I don’t get it.”

Stenhouse confronted Busch after the All-Star Race after Busch appeared to deliberately wreck him in the second round of the non-points event for what Busch thought was an overly aggressive move in the opening round.

After completing the race, Stenhouse waited for Busch at Busch’s Richard Childress Racing hauler, a span of more than 90 minutes from the time he crashed to the confrontation. After Stenhouse and Busch had a brief, heated altercation, Stenhouse punched Busch in the head. That caused a fight between their respective teams, with Stenhouse’s father attacking Busch and starting a physical confrontation between them.

Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fighting after the All-Star Race. pic.twitter.com/IJMttBw90W

— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) May 20, 2024

Busch was not suspended for his actions. NASCAR suspended Ricky Stenhouse Sr. indefinitely, while two members of Stenhouse Jr.’s JTG Daugherty Racing team, mechanic Clint Myrick for eight races and engine tuner Keith Matthews for four races, were also suspended.

While NASCAR hasn’t always penalized drivers who fight, the difference, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer explained Wednesday, was that Stenhouse had plenty of time to cool down before entering the fight.

“I will say that if you wait 198 laps and you make the decisions that were made, we will respond to them,” Sawyer said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Other decisions could have been made.

“We want the two drivers to have time to express their differences. But again, once it escalates to a physical altercation, we will respond again.”

Busch was not penalized because NASCAR could not determine that he intentionally wrecked Stenhouse.

NASCAR’s decision to hire Stenhouse Sr. suspension was in accordance with NASCAR’s policy that non-competitors are not allowed to get involved in confrontations.