Daniel Hemric, Noah Gragson Brawl on Pit Road After Atlanta's Xfinity Race


Daniel Hemric interrupted Noah Gragson's interview with PRN, shoving him before Gragson threw the first punch.

The sparks didn't stop flying after the checker flag fell during Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

As Noah Gragson did a post-race interview with Performance Racing Network, Daniel Hemric came out of nowhere, shoving the 22-year-old. The two squared off, holding each other at arms length, before Gragson threw the first punch. 

Mayhem broke loose and a brawl started. The crews got involved as one of Gragson's pit crew members wrapped an arm around Hemric's throat, turning and shielding him as Gragson tried to throw several more punches. 

Tensions had been high between the two throughout the race. Gragson was unhappy with Hemric over the 30-year-old driver having to go into Gragson's pit box to back into his. The younger got his revenge though. 

He backed into the nose of Hemric's car a few pitstops later, forcing Hemric's crew to get out of the way.

"When I pulled into my box, we had a guy who went to leave at the same time in the box behind us. And it created (for) me to have to go long, pull in the No. 9 box, and back up," Hemric told FOX Sports. "I guess he was oblivious to what was going on and what my situation was, so by the time the No. 9 got in his box he crammed it in reverse and purposely drove the back of his car through the front of my Supra.

"He punched a hole in the nose of our Supra, and where I come from, you get punched in the eye for that ... There's a hole in the nose of my car, and he got popped in the eye. Where I stand from, we're in pretty good shape."

Gragson, however, claimed to not know why Hemric was mad, and took a shot at Hemric's career while talking with FOX NASCAR pit reporter Jamie Little

"I don't know why he's mad," said Gragson. "We were behind him coming onto pit road because we chorded our right front tire, and then he was in our pit box. I had to come around him, and I'm not really sure why he was there, but (I) had to back up and get there. ... I'd be mad if I was in his shoes too. Just based off what he's done in his career."