Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton altercation after Xfinity Series race at Kentucky
Following the finish of the Alsco 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series, Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton had a discussion, which escalated into an altercation, after the two were involved in an accident in the final laps of the race.
“This is moments ago, Noah Gragson talking with Harrison Burton. Doing a little pushing – crew members do arrive. Harrison not backing down here, and oh now they are really going at it … that is the passion.”
Friday Night NASCAR Fights at Kentucky! Noah Gragson vs. Harrison Burton.pic.twitter.com/imU4cC4Xp4
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 11, 2020
Gragson and Harrison made contact battling for fourth on Lap 188 of the 200-lap race, as Gragon drifted into Burton’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing car, resulting in a seventh place finish for Gragson and 12th for Burton as no caution flag flew.
Crew members and NASCAR officials quickly got involved, breaking up the fight.
FOX Sports’ Jamie Little caught up with both drivers following the incident. Burton commented, citing how this isn’t Gragson’s first offense:
“Just frustrated. That’s two times since we’ve come back after the COVID-19 pandemic on restarts. Same situation. We rallied all night to get our DEX Imaging Supra into fourth place, and then the 9 happens to start in third and I don’t know what race track we’re at or what. But both times puts us in the fence. Charlotte and now here. I had a lot of people coming up to me afterwards saying that was a long time coming, so I guess that was a popular move. But honestly, it’s about these guys that work on these race cars and give me fast race cars.”
“That was a long time coming.”
Harrison Burton and Noah Gragson talk with @JamieLittleTV after the post-race fight at Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/IC5TsBGRZM
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 11, 2020
Then, Gragson gave his take on the situation:
“We’re all racing hard. I mean, us teammates are beating and banging for the finishes at the end. I don’t really have a comment, haven’t really seen everything that happened.”
And Burton isn’t the only one to suffer at the hands of Gragson on the track. The No. 9 JR Motorsports driver was involved in a few crashes with No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro driver Myatt Snider at the start of the season. In addition, he forced JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier out of the way to ride straight to victory lane at Bristol last month.
Justin Allgaier goes around after contact with Noah Gragson racing for the lead in Bristol! pic.twitter.com/qbV91sTgxo
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 2, 2020
No. 22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske driver Austin Cindric won at Kentucky for the second night in a row, first claiming Thursday’s Shady Rays 200 and then Friday’s Alsco 300.