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The 20 Most Entertaining Driver Confrontations In NASCAR History
In NASCAR confrontations are a part of life. When drivers are racing at the speeds they are for hours on end, tempers tend to flare when someone feels they were wronged.
Let’s be honest, we love watching drivers get into it. We love watching the tempers boil over as two or more drivers take out their frustrations on each other and bang fenders or fists. Or both. Ever since the iconic fight after the 1979 Daytona 500, we’ve witnessed many cases of road rage among drivers, pit crews, and others. Despite it being a less than savory event, it’s a fact of life in Motorsports.
However, it’s also one of the most entertaining certainties about our sport, and sometimes it can lift and otherwise boring race. Fans on both sides of the fence can agree that confrontations are gripping and hard to look away from. Here’s a list of the best confrontations in NASCAR history following that iconic fight in 1979 (which means that will not be on this list).
Part I
Part II
Part III
Honorable Mention – Danica Patrick
What? This is a slideshow for most entertaining confrontations in NASCAR, and admit it: Danica’s confrontations have a way of making people say, “LOL,” more than anything. The first two clips show her misguided attempts to assert dominance, only to destroy her team’s hard working efforts in ill-fated attempts to retaliate. The third clip, with Denny Hamlin, is a bit more understandable, as she was frustrated with Hamlin for turning her multiple times during the 2015 Daytona Speedweeks.
She earned her spot on the NASCAR roster, for sure. But if she spent less time getting mad at everyone and more time exercising some form of patience, her handful of top-10s could easily multiply.
20. Bristol 2008 – Kyle Busch vs. Carl Edwards
The Setup:
Kyle Busch was in his first year at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008, and he made it his goal to win almost everything in sight, which is exactly what he did. He went from being third fiddle at Hendrick Motorsports to the top dog at JGR in their new Toyotas, and as a result he was walloping the field. Of course, it was during this time that he became NASCAR’s biggest villain, with his smarmy attitude and smug demeanor.
Carl Edwards, meanwhile, was hunting down a championship as Busch’s closest competitor that summer. He too was winning races frequently, and going into Bristol that August he was the defending event champion. But Busch had been fast all weekend long, so Edwards had his work cut out for him. No problem; just a casual bump-and-run would do.
The Fallout:
Following the bump, Edwards went on to lead the rest of the race all the way to the checkered, earning his second-straight Bristol Night victory. Busch, who led 415 laps, was forced to settle for second-place, and he wasn’t happy. Fans, tired of Busch’s whiny schtick by this point, were forced to watch as Busch rammed Edwards on his cool-down lap.
But unlike some of Busch’s other victims in 2008, Edwards wasn’t about to take any guff. Once Busch pulled ahead a little bit, Edwards hooked left and turned the No. 18 to the delight of the Bristol crowd. Busch made a half-hearted attempt to return the favor, but ducked onto pit road instead, putting the matter to rest.
To date, Busch hasn’t attempted to take out any frustrations on Edwards since. He probably got the message that night: Edwards doesn’t get messed with.
19. South Boston 1998 – Mark Green’s crew vs. Jeff Purvis and crew
The Setup:
Jeff Purvis was having a decent year in 1998 while piloting the No. 4 for James Finch in the NASCAR Busch (now Xfinity) Series, posting a season-high second at Daytona in February as well as strong runs at Loudon, Nazareth, and Kentucky. However, it was this incident on the South Boston short track that ended any hope of a top-10 in points.
Racing hard with Mark Green, Purvis ended up in the wall off of Green’s bumper. For one, as everyone knows, accidents like this happen on short tracks. However, Purvis forgot about that in a big way.
The Fallout:
Purvis waiting until Green was back around the track, then torpedoed him repeatedly on pit road. Both crew converged on the cars as well as a few officials, and for a couple of minutes pandemonium and fists ensued. Purvus soon exited his car and joined the scuffle only to be pulled away in a hurry. For his actions on pit road Purvis was suspended four races and finished 15th in the final points.
18. Watkins Glen 2015 – Regan Smith vs. Ty Dillon
The Setup:
Regan Smith was having a good day at Watkins Glen. He had a car that was good enough to have a shot at the win, that is, until he was turned by Ty Dillon. Smith would later be turned by Brendan Gaughan, effectively erasing any shot Smith had for a good finish. Smith would go on to finish 20th while Dillon would finish fifth.
The Fallout:
Smith first talked to Gaughan on pit road. Key word: Talked. He leaned in the No. 62, exchanged words, and then left peacefully. However, once he got to Dillon he was out for blood. Grabbing Dillon by the straps of his firesuit, he got in Dillon’s face only for Dillon to fight back. Crews from both JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing converged on the two while they exchanged threats. Smith had to be pulled away by an official and a JRM crew member.
This wasn’t much of a fight by any means, but like the previously mentioned Edwards/Busch incident, there was the matter of a polarizing driver possibly being subjected to a beatdown by another angry driver. That didn’t happen, but it was fun while it lasted.
17. Richmond 2014 – Casey Mears vs. Marcos Ambrose
The Setup:
Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears are two drivers that fans would never expect to get into an altercation. Instead, both drivers ended up in one of the more entertaining throwdowns to happen in awhile. Both of the drivers ended up finishing in their usual mid-pack spots, Ambrose in 18th and Mears in 19th. However, Richmond was true to form that night, a short track turning out some angry drivers.
The Fallout:
Both drivers got out and exchanged words, as seen above. However, when Mears attempted to get physical with Ambrose, he learned firsthand to never mess with a Kiwi: Ambrose drilled Mears. Mears can be seen faltering, and before the shot ends it looks like Ambrose’s fist actually drew blood. Afterwards, both drivers were quick to clear the air, although Mears surely wasn’t too thrilled about donning a nice, big shiner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjIJpbAdGs
16. Charlotte 1989 – Darrell Waltrip’s crew vs. Rusty Wallace’s crew
The Setup:
The Winston (now known as the Sprint All-Star) at Charlotte has always been known as a wild affair, and in 1989 things were shaping up for just that. Rusty Wallace, in strong championship form, headed into the All-Star weekend looking to nab the win as one of NASCAR’s fan favorites. But first, he had to chase down NASCAR’s biggest villain, three-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip.
That wasn’t an issue, as it turns out. On the last turn of the last lap, Wallace dumped Waltrip to the surprise of the crowd, robbing the No. 17 of the $200,000 first-place prize. The crews saw fit to settle that on behalf of their drivers.
The Fallout:
While following Wallace to the Winner’s Circle, one of his crew guys shoved one of Waltrip’s crew members hard. Waltrip’s crew member took exception to this, grabbing the offending crew member, slamming him into the side of an ambulance. With that, both crews took to battle as they erupted in a battle royale. Fists flying, bodies flailing, fans were thrilled as these two crews duked it out. It helped nothing in the end though as Wallace still celebrated as NASCAR’s newest bad guy.
15. Bristol 1995 – Dale Earnhardt vs. Rusty Wallace
The Setup:
Speaking of Rusty Wallace, here’s another little ditty between him and one of his all-time greatest rivals, Dale Earnhardt. At Bristol in August of 1995, both drivers were having a strong run until lap 33, when Earnhardt turned Wallace into the frontstretch wall. Wallace drove away and finished the race, while Earnhardt would go on to finish second.
The Fallout:
Following the race, Earnhardt got out and was getting ready to do an interview when Wallace showed up and threw a water bottle at Earnhardt. Earnhardt left the interview to go talk to Wallace, and as seen above both driver exchanged “pleasantries” while officials tried to keep the two apart. This was just another in a long line of exchanges between two otherwise friendly drivers, and needless to say it was resolved pretty quickly.
14. Bristol 2002 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. Robby Gordon
[NOTE: Skip to 16:30 for the altercation]
The Setup:
On one end of the spectrum, there was Robby Gordon with a strong outside-pole effort in qualifying, only to have his day wrecked prematurely by jumping the start at the beginning of the race. On the other, the normally quiet Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a stellar day, leading a race-high 184 laps before finishing fourth. Junior blamed his inability to race for the win on Gordon, and following the race did something about it.
The Fallout:
Junior door-slammed the No. 31 following the race, expressing his frustrations. Gordon returned the favor by tearing his car up – plowing into the No. 8 and turning it around on pit road. After the two got out and had to be restrained by their respective pit crews and some obscenities, with Junior calling Gordon a “moving chicayne” and Gordon crediting Junior’s ability to keep his ride because of his last name. One: Who still has a Cup career all these years later? Two: Junior needs to get angrier more often.
13. Loudon 2008 – David Starr vs. Todd Bodine’s crew
The Setup:
While Todd Bodine was trying to stay relevant in the 2008 Craftsman Truck Series championship picture, David Starr was just trying to stay relevant. During the day, while trying to stay relevant, Starr managed to wreck not one, but two Germain Racing trucks. The second truck? Bodine. In return, Bodine drilled Starr’s No. 11 after the race coming onto pit road, and Starr pulled up next to Bodine. Hilarity then ensued between both teams.
The Fallout:
Before Starr even had a chance to get out, let alone his crew a chance to shield him, the entire Germain army and several NASCAR officials converged on the two trucks. The Germain crew exchanged punches with Starr’s crew, then Starr finally escaped to join the fight. Both parties had to be pulled apart multiple times before order was restored, and in the end it was Starr who ended up on the end of a reprimand.
12. Charlotte 2008 – Denny Hamlin and crew vs. Brad Keselowski and crew (w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.)
The Setup:
Nationwide Series (now Xfinity), Joe Gibbs Racing be thy name. Since switching to Toyota in 2008, JGR has run roughshod over the competition in the Nationwide/Xfinity Series, largely in part to Kyle Busch’s efforts. However, teammate Denny Hamlin also won his fair share, and at Charlotte in May 2008 he was on a mission to get another win for JGR.
However, JR Motorsports driver Brad Keselowski was also in the hunt for the win, but when he took exception to the way Hamlin raced him late in the going, he decided to convey his frustrations to the No. 20.
The Fallout:
Keselowski decided to jack the rear of the No. 20 before pulling up beside him to relay a message. However, Hamlin took exception to the No. 88 and door-slammed him, ruining his fender. Dale Earnhardt Jr., running fourth behind this mess, sped up and rammed the No. 20.
When the checkered flag dropped, it was Busch with the win while Hamlin and Keselowski finished second and third. However, when both made it to pit road, their respective crews converged and were ready to throw down. Pushing and shoving ensued, as did some colorful exchanges, but nothing major happened between the crews. Of course, this was the start of one of the more colorful rivalries in recent memory.
11. Michigan 2003 – Kurt Busch vs. Jimmy Spencer
The Setup:
The roots of this rivalry began in 2001, when a lapped Jimmy Spencer dumped rookie Kurt Busch during the November race at Phoenix. The two met again at Bristol in March 2002, where Busch returned the favor against Spencer by shoving him out of the lead for the win. After an incident at Indy later that year when Spencer dumped Busch again, all was quiet. That is, until the August 2003 Michigan race, where Busch felt like he had some unfinished business with Spencer.
The Fallout:
Spencer, driving the No. 7 Dodge, was minding his own business when Busch’s No. 97 pulled up beside him and bumped him a couple of times. It seemed innocuous, until Busch exhibited a poor lack in judgement by admitting he was trying to flatten Spencer’s fender in hopes of cutting his tire. Spencer was seething when he overheard this, so when Busch stopped in front of the No. 7’s hauler, words and threats were exchanged before Spencer gleefully popped Busch in his beak. The result? A suspended Spencer, and a Busch with a broken nose and a chorus of boos wherever he went. No charges were filed, and Busch got the message: Don’t mess with Jimmy Spencer.
10. Texas 2010 – Jeff Gordon vs. Jeff Burton
The Setup:
Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton are two of NASCAR’s most laid-back personalities. Both drivers made it through most of their careers in NASCAR without getting into altercations and with the respect of their peers. So no one expected what transpired between the two following an accident during the 2010 AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, when both drivers were in the midst of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
The Fallout:
Frustrated with Gordon, Burton miscalculated the distance between his and Gordon’s cars and instead of getting behind the No. 24 and possibly nudging him, Burton’s No. 31 instead nudged the No. 24 and sent both into a hard crash into the wall and ending both their days. Gordon got out of the car and made his way to Burton, who was waiting by the ambulance, presumably to have a word. Instead, Gordon went after him like Sugar Ray Leonard and the two briefly grappled before being separated by officials. The two exchanged words, with Gordon getting the last word by the looks of it, before riding to the care center in the same ambulance.
9. Fontana 2013 – Tony Stewart vs. Joey Logano
The Setup:
Tony Stewart doesn’t like being blocked. That may seem a little conspicuous, considering his actions at Talladega in October of 2012, but nonetheless when the No. 22 of Joey Logano blocked him on a restart, Stewart was not pleased with Logano, who had the faster car. Following the event, Stewart blocked Logano on pit road, and as both drivers exited their vehicles, Stewart made a beeline for Logano.
The Fallout:
Stewart wasn’t interested in talking. He was interested in whopping Logano’s [expletive]. He lunged for Logano and grabbed him, bringing Logano to try and defend himself briefly before both crews broke them up. Had it gone on there’s no doubt Stewart would have made mincemeat out of Logano, but nonetheless it was over as quickly as it had started. At least in the end there was an entertaining soundbite with Steve Byrne and Stewart.
8. Sonoma 2011 – Tony Stewart vs. Brian Vickers
The Setup:
As previously mentioned, Tony Stewart hates being blocked. While Brian Vickers was cutting across his bumper trying to avoid a sideways Kyle Busch, Stewart stayed glued to Vickers’s bumper, turning him around in the ensuing chaos of cars and smoke. The incident killed any hopes Vickers had of a good run, but when Stewart made to pass the lapped No. 83 of Vickers later in the race, Vickers responded.
The Fallout:
Vickers turned Stewart heading into the hairpin, launching the No. 14 on top of the tire barrier. The No. 83 was able to carry on with his race while Stewart spent lengthy time in the garage. And that was it. No screaming, no threats, just Stewart acknowledging that he doesn’t like being blocked and he felt that the No. 83 acted predictably. This made for a very amusing trade off between the two.
7. Mosport 2013 – Max Papis vs. Angry Psycho Woman
The Setup:
Mike Skeen’s girlfriend Kelly Heaphy was one of those in attendance to watch Skeen compete in his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event for Eddie Sharp Racing. It was understandably a big day for them, to be a part of such a major sporting event.However, on the final lap and cooldown lap, Skeen and Papis exchanged bumps and words before having a talk in the garage. Then Heaphy had the (lack of) presence of mine to pipe up to The Pap.
The Fallout:
Heaphy approached Papis intent on saying a few words, but while Papis tried to calm her down she responded with her own variation of the “Pap-slap,” before being led away. As a result, Heaphy was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR, fined $2,500, and more than likely cost her boo-thang any chance of running in another major NASCAR event anytime soon.
6. Bristol 2002 – Kevin Harvick vs. Greg Biffle
The Setup:
Oh, for the days of Happy Harvick. Back in the early 00s’, Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick flat did not like each other for some odd reason. During those Busch Series (now Xfinity) events, if they so muched as rubbed they were bound to have a few words with each other. One such instance was the Spring 2002 Bristol race, where Harvick was moonlighting while Biffle was running for a championship. Late in the going, Biffle hooked a loose Harvick, who over-corrected and went snout-first into the wall. Of course, Harvick promised retribution and then followed through.
The Fallout:
Right when Biffle exited his car for his post-race interview, Harvick defied gravity somehow by flying over the No. 60 Ford and into Biffle’s face. Holding Biffle by the scruff of his firesuit, Harvick said a few choice words to Biffle while crews and officials tried to pull them apart to the screams of the frenzied Bristol fans. The altercation did nothing to help Harvick’s dismal 2002 – he was suspended for the Martinsville race a few weeks later for another incident regarding his temper.
5. Richmond 2003 – Kevin Harvick vs. Ricky Rudd
The Setup:
In September of 2003, Kevin Harvick was consistent enough to be a championship contender. There was no way he could triumph over Matt Kenseth without a little bit of luck, but he was making the most out of a rather strong year highlighted by an Indy win. Late in the going at Richmond, he looked like he could have won big again, as his No. 29 was one of the strongest cars on the track. But that switched in a hurry.
The Fallout:
One party called it a cheap-shot. The other said that it was a messed-up entry. Any way it’s painted, Ricky Rudd knocked Harvick askew, and he was unable to save it as he went straight into the wall. Understandably, he was angry for the right reasons as his title hopes were derailed. He sped onto pit road and bumped into the No. 21 of Rudd before both crews tried to keep the drivers in check. Harvick wouldn’t be denied a chance at venting some frustrations, so on his way out he climbed up on Rudd’s Ford before jumping on the hood with a few crew members. It was a tense situation, sure, but one thing Harvick needed to keep in mind: Rudd’s a tough old rooster, and there’s no doubt he would have humbled Harvick quickly.
4. Darlington 2011 – Kevin Harvick vs. Kyle Busch
The Setup:
Kevin Harvick is a lot like the state of Texas: Don’t mess with him. Kyle Busch is also well aware of that lesson, even though in the instance it looks like he forgot it. Late in the going, these two were playing rough, bumping and banging to no end. Busch, frustrated with Harvick, did what he thought was a wise move: After Harvick’s teammate Clint Bowyer crashed due to their (Harvick and Busch) hard racing, Busch hooked left and turned the No. 29. That was a bad idea.
The Fallout:
After the race, Harvick literally chased Busch. Busch, who was more known for having altercations with guys like Steve Wallace and David Reutimann, knew that Harvick is a lot like Riggs from Lethal Weapon: Crazy. But despite that, Harvick cornered Busch and was about to have a talk with him, until Busch pushed the No. 29 out of the way and ran from Harvick’s fists. However, pushing an empty car out of the way like that on a crowded pit road netted Busch a fine instead.
Part I
Part II
3. Charlotte 2014 – Brad Keselowski vs. The World
The Setup:
At the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte in October of 2014, Brad Keselowski made it hard to be a fan of his that day. The guy just acted like a bonafide fool. Sure, it was his season he was fighting for, so yes, he was aggressive. But aside from putting both himself and Matt Kenseth in the wall, he broke a longstanding peace between himself and former rival Denny Hamlin, and also managed to anger Tony Stewart as well.
The Fallout:
Following the race, he tried unsuccessfully to spin the No. 11 of Hamlin. When that didn’t work, he sped onto pit road and rammed Kenseth, who had his seatbelts undone. While doing this, he also bumped Stewart’s No. 14, who then backed into Keselowski and demolished his nose. But afterward, the No. 2 and the No. 11 took their beef into the garage, chasing each other and smoking their slicks in the garage stalls before stopping. Crews kept them apart, but Kenseth swooped in like Batman and proceeded to try to disassemble Keselowski.
It wasn’t unusual to see Hamlin, Stewart, or Keselowski mad. But Kenseth’s fury was more than all three of those guys put together. Admit it: Kenseth was looking to murder one or two crew members along with Keselowski.
2. Martinsville 2015 – Joey Logano vs. Matt Kenseth
The Setup:
One of the Golden Rules about life: Treat others the way you want to be treated. Joey Logano forgot the rule, obviously. At Kansas, just a few races before, Logano spun Matt Kenseth out of the lead for his second-straight win. Brian France, further compounding on an already volatile situation, foolishly called that finish “quintessential NASCAR,” Of course, that itself bolstered Logano’s confidence (and some would say his ego as well), so when the No. 22 made it around the No. 20 at Martinsville, he didn’t expect what would happen next.
The Fallout:
What happened? Racer’s justice. Kenseth planted Logano hard into the wall, returning the favor by ruining Logano’s title hopes just as Logano ruined his. The fans loved it, peers loved it, and even the announcers in some cases approved of it. Logano and the Penske crew were angered, obviously, but he was in violation of the racer’s code of ethics, and he got what many felt he had coming. Meanwhile, France erroneously suspended Kenseth. Still, Kenseth got his point across, and there’s no doubt that Logano learned something about respect that day.
1. Texas 2014 – Jeff Gordon (w/ Kevin Harvick) vs. Brad Keselowski
The Setup:
In late 2014, Brad Keselowski was not a popular man. He did have it rough, even if he didn’t do anything wrong like on the night of the Texas Chase race, where he accidentally cut Jeff Gordon’s tire while racing for the lead. Gordon spun, but thankfully kept the car from crashing. Instead of tearing his car up under caution, he waited until after the race to pull up next to Keselowski to exchange a few words.
The Fallout:
Gordon got out of the car to talk to Keselowski while the two crews already began getting physical. But when Keselowski tried to walk away from the situation (credit that to his probation from the Charlotte incident), Kevin Harvick appeared out of nowhere and shoved Keselowski back into Gordon. While Keselowski was distracted, Gordon grabbed him, and the brawl was on. The No. 2 crew, the No. 24 crew, the No. 27 crew, the No. 5 crew, numerous press members and numerous NASCAR officials got into the mix that left both Gordon and Keselowski bloodied and bruised. This wasn’t a scuffle or a shoving match. Little to no words were said. This was a full-blown, knock-down, pedal-to-the-metal fight.
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