Nascar fight: Watch brawl erupt between drivers Daniel Suarez and Michael McDowell after qualifying row

Daniel Suarez approached Michael McDowell in the paddock after both drivers had been eliminated from the session, with Suarez believing he had been deliberately blocked by his rival

A fight broke at during Nascar qualifying after a controversial incident in Pheonix qualifying.

Daniel Suarez approached Michael McDowell in the paddock after both drivers had been eliminated from the session, with Suarez believing he had been deliberately blocked by his rival.

McDowell reacted angrily and a fight quickly erupted, with the drivers having to be separated by mechanics nearby.

“It was just a lack of respect,” said Suarez afterwards. “You’ve got to try to get out of the way if someone is making a hot lap. That’s racing.

“I’m the kind of driver that I’m going to give a lot of respect to you, always, if you give me respect back.

“If you don’t give me respect, I’m going to go kick your ass.”

McDowell insisted that any delay to Suarez was accidental.

I held him up on that lap, that was just a miscommunication,” McDowell said. “We were all waiting until the end to go out there.”

The two drivers will start next to each other on the 14th row of the grid for Sunday’s race, after Ryan Blaney took pole position.