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NASCAR suspended Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott on Tuesday as a result of an incident in Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Concord, N.C.

Elliott will be banned from this weekend’s race near St. Louis. He will be replaced in the No. 9 Chevrolet by Corey LaJoie.

Elliott made contact with Denny Hamlin on Lap 186 and sending him to the wall.

Officials cited Sections 4.3.A and 4.4.C & D of the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct laid out in the NASCAR Rule Book in Elliott’s suspension. Section 4.3.A cites NASCAR member conduct and states “correct and proper conduct, both on and off the race track, is part of a member’s responsibilities.”

Section 4.4.C lists “removing another competitor from championship contention in a dangerous manner when not racing for position based on the available evidence and specific circumstances of the incident” as one of two actions that could result in a penalty, including race suspension(s). Listed as an example in the rule book is “clearly forcing another competitor into the wall in an abrupt and unambiguous manner,” while Section 4.4.D lists “actions by a NASCAR member that NASCAR finds to be detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR” as an action that could result in a fine and/or indefinite suspension.

“We take this very seriously,” Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “The incident that happened off Turn 4, after looking at all the available resources … it was an intentional act by Chase, in our opinion, after reviewing all the available resources there.

“In the heat of the battle, things happen, but drivers needs to understand you have to handle that in a completely different way than hooking someone in the right rear and putting them in harm’s way.”

Hendrick Motorsports issued a statement saying they will not appeal the suspensions.

“We understand NASCAR’s need to maintain consistency in its officiating. The penalty will not be appealed, and we will submit a formal request for a playoff waiver,” the team statement said.

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