Chase Elliott was caught up in a multi-car crash at Talladjsonville Superspeedway, leaving him in a must-win scenario at Martinsville next week after he was caught in the chaos in Stage 1
Noah Gragson was involved in the crash which ended Chase Elliott’s day(Image: Getty)
Noah Gragson pointed the finger at Erik Jones for the NASCAR wreck that ruined Chase Elliott’s day at Talladega. Elliott now faces a do-or-die situation at Martinsville next week after getting swept up in the mayhem during Stage 1.
It highlighted a Hendrick Motorsports issue that put him in a tough spot. The collision also left AJ Allmendinger sprawled on the ground in agony before safety crews rushed to his aid, though he thankfully escaped without injury.
Gragson and Jones were the two vehicles that triggered the domino effect at the front of the field, with both racers also eliminated from competition. Gragson accused the Legacy Motor Club No. 43 machine of being overly aggressive.
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Gragson explained: “I mean I was just trying to keep even with the 16, and there was a couple of times when we both got clear of him.
“He was pushing really hard in the corner, and just places that guys don’t normally push in the first stage.
“Through the tri-oval, through the corners, just seemed a little aggressive a little early.
Elliott’s day ended early at Talladega following a big crash(Image: Getty)
“But it is what it is. You start getting tagged in the left rear, then the right rear, then you start going back and forth and when they’re pushing hard in the first stage.
It’s a little aggressive. I mean, we still had probably eight or nine laps left, so it was definitely a bummer,” reports the Express US.
Jones, meanwhile, maintained he didn’t believe he was overly aggressive, but voiced remorse if he was at fault.
Jones commented: “I don’t know. I was pushing the 4 (Gragson) and he definitely got loose. I don’t know if I was on him. I was definitely tight to him and he’d seemed pretty stable.
“Hate if it was me pushing too hard and got in a bad spot. Just too early for that. Just unfortunate.
“Felt like our car was good and just nothing to show for it. I didn’t feel like it was anything I haven’t really done. I guess maybe he was just more unstable than I thought.”
On the other hand, Elliott wasn’t taken aback by the outcome, saying: “Yeah, I mean the stage points are so crucial right now.
“I wasn’t super surprised everybody was starting to get aggressive. Unfortunately didn’t make it through.”