The altercation between former Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen and Front Row Motorsports driver Noah Gragson at the NASCAR Cup Series San Diego street circuit race is under scrutiny by the organization. NASCAR is examining over seven minutes of footage, including onboard video and radio communications, of the incident between the two drivers. Austin Hill secured the victory with a last-lap overtaking maneuver in the San Diego race. The Magnussen-Gragson tension had become a major topic of discussion.
Tension in laps: From Lap 25 to Lap 37
The first serious contact erupted on Lap 25 in the battle for 33rd place in a group of 39 cars. Magnussen, in the No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, braked past Gragson's No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford from the inside; however, Gragson closed the gap, resulting in a collision with his rear bumper. The two cars went side-by-side on the next straight, with Gragson making door-to-door contact. On Lap 26, Magnussen attempted another overtake; Gragson again blocked him. At the end of the same lap, Magnussen went through the final chicane to take the lead, but Gragson immediately accelerated, hitting the right rear of the No. 91 and regaining the position.
During the yellow flag period at Lap 30, Magnussen said on the radio: ’I’m stuck behind this guy. I don’t know who he is. I hit him, but he cut me off, so he’s not exactly a thinker. I’ll overtake him at some point, we’re going fast.“ Gragson, meanwhile, hurled harsh insults at Magnussen on the radio and also attacked drivers with F1 backgrounds: ”These F1 idiots just dive in from the inside around the corner and hit everyone just because they have bumpers.“ At Lap 32, the two cars, which had been side-by-side at the start, were once again door-to-door.
During the red flag period, Gragson overtook Magnussen and braked, even giving him the middle finger. Gragson also rode car No. 91 several times while slowing down. His team warned him to "be smart about car No. 91.".
The decisive moment came at Lap 37. Magnussen, who was contesting 15th place while trying to avoid Tyler Reddick's spinning car, went under Gragson inside the wide right-hand corner known as Turn 4 and made contact with the No. 4 Ford. Gragson spun and crashed into the wall, failing to finish the race. Magnussen, meanwhile, only managed to lose one position to Chase Elliott.
Race end showdown and Magnussen's points standings.
Gragson waited for Magnussen in the pit lane after the race, dressed in street clothes. During an argument that lasted about 90 seconds, Gragson said, "What the hell are you doing, cutting in from the corner just because you have fenders?" while Magnussen repeatedly responded, "Get out of my face" and "Don't you understand English? I'm telling you to f*** off." The two were separated by an official.
Magnussen started the first Cup Series race in San Diego from 21st place, finishing mostly in the top 20, and opted to pit with old tires; ultimately finishing 27th out of 39 cars. However, he received the fastest lap bonus when he pitted to put on fresh tires after his fuel load was reduced. In his post-race statement, he said he enjoyed competing with all the drivers except Gragson and that he wanted to return to NASCAR.
Meanwhile, it was recalled that Gragson is no stranger to such confrontations: in 2023, he approached Ross Chastain, also from the Trackhouse Racing group, in a similar manner at Kansas Speedway, but punched Gragson despite Chastain's warning.
The Magnussen-Gragson tension lasted 13 laps on the streets of San Diego, culminating in an accident and a pit lane altercation. NASCAR is investigating the incident. #NASCAR #Magnessen #Gragson
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