Denny Hamlin Compares Taylor Gray, Sheldon Creed Incident to Chase Elliott Martinsville Clash

Hamlin sees similarities between the Las Vegas crash and his own run-in with Elliott in 2017.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:27am

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NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin watched the incident between Taylor Gray and Sheldon Creed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and said it reminded him of his own run-in with Chase Elliott at Martinsville Speedway in 2017. Hamlin believes Creed made similar light contact with Gray that ultimately caused him to crash hard into the wall, just as Hamlin did to Elliott years ago. Creed acknowledged his mistake, saying he was unaware of how close Gray was to the car in front of him.

Why it matters

The comparison to Hamlin's incident with Elliott highlights how minor contact can have major consequences, especially in vulnerable parts of the racetrack. It also shows how drivers must be accountable for their actions, even if the contact doesn't seem egregious in the moment.

The details

On Lap 148 of the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas, Creed made contact with Gray while the two were battling for the lead. The contact caused Gray to spin and hit the wall hard, ending his day. Hamlin said the incident reminded him of his own run-in with Elliott at Martinsville in 2017, where Hamlin made light contact that ultimately wrecked Elliott. Creed took responsibility after the race, acknowledging he was unaware of how close Gray was to the car in front of him.

  • The incident occurred on Lap 148 of the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14, 2026.
  • Hamlin's incident with Elliott happened at Martinsville Speedway in 2017.

The players

Denny Hamlin

A veteran NASCAR driver who has won multiple races and championships over his career.

Taylor Gray

A young NASCAR driver who was leading the race at Las Vegas when he was wrecked by Sheldon Creed.

Sheldon Creed

A NASCAR driver who made contact with Taylor Gray while battling for the lead, causing Gray to crash hard into the wall.

Chase Elliott

A NASCAR driver who was wrecked by Denny Hamlin in a 2017 incident at Martinsville Speedway that Hamlin compared to the Gray-Creed crash.

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What they’re saying

“It looked like me and Chase Elliott at Martinsville. Just get to the back bumper, push all the way in. It's interesting when that happened... when I watch me and Chase, it didn't feel as egregious in the car as it looked on TV. I was just barely on his bumper. I'm telling you, it was not hard contact. But that is such a vulnerable part of the racetrack for the rear getting stuck, and I unstuck him.”

— Denny Hamlin

“Normally, I'll kind of eat a couple blocks, but I just watched the replay, and I was just unaware that he was that close to the 17 [Kyle Larson]. I thought he was kind of coming down to block me, and really, he was trying to poke inside the 17. So, that's totally my fault. When he came down, my plan was to just try to roll in there with him and pack some air on him because I let him get away with the first couple [of blocks]. Still had a lot of laps left there. Yeah, I just ran into the back of him. That was totally on me. That was bad.”

— Sheldon Creed

“I blocked him down the backstretch. It definitely didn't warrant me getting wrecked, but it is what it is. He knew what he was doing, right? He's ran these cars long enough, and he's been in the series long enough. He had the mentality to go into [Turn] 3 and wreck me. Obviously, he was pretty good at doing that.”

— Taylor Gray

What’s next

The incident between Gray and Creed will likely be reviewed by NASCAR officials, who may issue penalties or fines if they determine Creed's actions were overly aggressive or intentional.

The takeaway

This crash highlights the fine line drivers must walk between hard racing and dangerous contact. While Creed acknowledged his mistake, the comparison to Hamlin's incident with Elliott shows how even minor contact can have major consequences, especially in vulnerable parts of the track. Drivers must balance their competitive instincts with awareness of the risks their actions pose to others.