The intense feud on tracks often makes headlines in NASCAR, but it’s especially compelling when drivers known for mutual respect, like Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott, find themselves at the heart of the fray. Such was the case at Darlington in 2020 during the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs’ opening round. The two competitors, typically vocal about their respect for each other, were caught in a fierce battle for victory.
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After the race, both drivers shared their perspectives without casting blame. Elliott remarked, “I think we were both battling really hard for a win. I think any other time in the race, I probably give him the position. In that situation, you got to know, nobody is going to let anybody in for a race win with 15 laps left. I hate that it happened. It hurt both of us.”
Elliott refrained from assigning fault to Truex, stating, “I don’t think it was something he did on purpose. I think we were both being aggressive.” He believed that in a prestigious race like the Southern 500, it would be naive not to vie for every available inch.
Echoing Elliott‘s thoughts, Truex Jr. reflected, “It was just kind of one of those racing deals where it was obviously really close. It was pretty much going to be the pass for the win in my eyes.”
He elaborated further stating that in that moment, both of them made a split-second decision and tried to anticipate or think about what the other one would do, but both guessed wrong. Truex added, “Just really close, obviously, nobody’s fault. I don’t think you can really put blame on one guy.”
What transpired during the race?
With just 15 laps to go, Elliott was at the helm, with Truex Jr. right on his heels. Truex, after dominating the earlier stages and leading 196 out of 367 laps, made a bold move to overtake Elliott. The maneuver sent both cars scraping the right side of their vehicles against the wall, nearly ruining their chances of victory.
The mishap opened the door for Kevin Harvick, who was in P3 place at the time, to overtake them and clinch the victory in the opening round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The collision resulted in Elliott dropping to P20 place and Truex trailing at P22.
Despite the setback, both Truex and Elliott managed to stay in the safe zone, holding 12 and 16 points above the elimination line, respectively, as they headed into the second race of the Round of 12 at Richmond Raceway.
