Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson fought on the road after Saturday’s Xfinity race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and had to be separated.
Hemric approached Gragson, who was doing a post-race interview, and pushed Gragson. Gragson got rid of Hemric’s grip and launched himself at Hemric. Hemric retaliated. As a member of Gragson’s crew tried to pull Hemric away, Gragson hit Hemric. NASCAR employees restrained Gragson.
Hemric was upset by an incident during the race when Gragson backed up Hemric’s car during a stop.
Hemric told Performance Racing Network: “Very simple, man. He had no idea what was going on at the race track. We went down the well road. The guy stopped behind us, accelerated while I got into my box. It made me have to dodge the guy and get into the box (by Gragson). I stepped back. Yes, it messed up our pit stops. I stepped back. He decided to put it in reverse and stick it in the right front fender and make a hole in our nose from the Poppy Bank Toyota Supra. We had to open the well again and fix it.
“It was completely deliberate. It is absolutely ridiculous. Where I come from, you’re surprised when you do things like that. “
Hemric also told PRN: “Ah, yes, (Gragson) shifted into reverse and retreated. Make a hole in the nose of our car and I got punched in the eye, so we’re even. “
Asked about the fight with Hemric, Gragson told FS1: “I don’t know why he is angry. We were after him coming to the pit road … He was in our box, and I had to get around him and not be sure why he was there. I had to go back and get there. “
NASCAR said Gragson was called into the truck after the race. NASCAR has said it will review the incident and, if penalties are applied, they will be dealt with at the end of the week.
Justin Allgaier won the race. Gragson finished fourth. Hemric took ninth place.
Take a look at this unique angle of strife between @DanielHemric and @NoahGragson. pic.twitter.com/Y0B14hCrx5
– NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 21, 2021
.@NoahGragson supported by @DanielHemriccar of.
Hemric and Gragson held hands after the race. pic.twitter.com/JBNIKBJxrO
– NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) March 20, 2021
18 was in our box when I was entering our box. He retreated to his own. I was out of position in the box and had to step back to get into my box. Involuntary support against him. If they showed the full replay, you would see that I didn’t go back to him for no reason.
– Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) March 21, 2021
Here is the full video. Penalty if the tires on the right side are out of the box. Final pit stop. Judge for yourself. pic.twitter.com/2LCQEiUDQ7
– Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) March 21, 2021
Last year, Gragson punched Harrison Burton after Burton repeatedly pushed him into the garage while they discussed his contact during last July’s Xfinity race at the Kentucky Speedway.