The two drivers had a long conversation after the race
Update: Denny Hamlin fined by after incident with Ross Chastain at Phoenix
In 2022, a NASCAR feud was ignited as Ross Chastain put Denny Hamlin in the wall at WWT Raceway. There was more contact at Pocono Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway last that year.
Then, to start the 2023 season, the two drivers tangled in the opening race of the season. The 1/4-mile bullring inside the LA Coliseum brought the feud back to life in the new season.
On Sunday, Hamlin retaliated on Ross Chastain. And, it might have ended the feud…
On a restart in NASCAR overtime, Hamlin had just two new tires. Ross Chastain and a bunch of cars with four fresh tires lined up on his bumper.
As he entered turn one, Hamlin realized he would soon be going backwards on old tires. And, with Chastain on his outside, he elected to use the opportunity to put him in the wall and even the scorecard.
After the race, both drivers spoke, for a very long time. It appears they are finally on the same page…
Denny Hamlin vs Ross Chastain: Phoenix Raceway (Video)
Denny Hamlin comments on Ross Chastain after Phoenix Raceway
“I got to the end of the race, I saw he was outside of me. Went into turn one with the mindset, I’m going to get the best finish that I can get,” Denny Hamlin stated via his Actions Detrimental podcast.
“I went in shallow on speed, my car [still] plowed. I turned the wheel and the front tires were just going straight.”
“They were calling the No. 1 car on the outside. At that point, I knew I was screwed and about to go backwards. I had all the four tire cars on my ass.”
Hamlin took just two tires ahead of the final restart. And with an ill-handling car he was set to go backwards.
“They were going to pass me, more than likely, in the next corner. I’m running 6th — I’m going to finish in the mid-teens.”
Retaliation on Ross Chastain
“I said, ‘You’re coming with me buddy.’ I did. It wasn’t a mistake.” He detailed, “I let the wheel go and said, ‘He’s coming with me.’ “
“I see people say, this is for last year, this or that. I got wrecked at The Clash. Don’t know that Ross sees it that way. I think he’s still curious about what I thought about The Clash. I don’t know why he would wonder about what I thought about at The Clash.”
“I’ve said for awhile, ‘You gotta do something to get these guys attention.’ Ross doesn’t like it when I speak his name in the media or when I have this microphone.”
“But, I told him, ‘I have a microphone and I’m going to call it like I see it. Until you get a microphone, you can then say whatever you want about me.’ “
“Sometimes I have to call myself out. I’m the dumb— who lost just as many spots as he did. At the time, I said, ‘Well, I’m going to finish —- anyway. So, I’m just going to make sure that he finishes —- right here with me.’ “
Retaliation without collecting anyone else
“It’s difficult to be in a position where you get back at a person and not involve an innocent bystander. That’s really hard to do. I never wanted to do that. At Pocono, unfortunately, someone got caught up in that.”
“But here, I saw we were the only people up top. So I said, ‘I’m going to send him in the fence.’ “
“Now, my dumb— got caught up in it. I got pinned, he was between me and the wall. I lost a bunch of positions for my team which was stupid as s—.”
“But, if I’m going to give this guy a hard time. It’s going to be then. My ideal situation was I was going to knock him in the fence and I was going to keep going.”
“But, he got the jump on me. He downshifted quicker then he brake checked me a few times. I wasn’t letting off at all, it didn’t matter to me.”
“After the brake checks, I went off into the next corner and tried. I’ll be honest with you, the mother——-‘s hard to spin! When he knows it’s coming, he is the hardest guy to wreck on the planet.”
Conversation after the race
“I wanted to get back to racing, with him. That’s a lot of the conversation that we had after.”
“He came up to me and said, ‘I guess I deserved it.’ I said, ‘Yeah, I think so.’ “
“I’m not going to ever sit on this podcast and lie to you and say it was an accident. It wasn’t an accident, I meant to put him in the fence. But, I didn’t mean to screw my team in the process.”
“But, at the time when you’re seeing red, that’s all that matters. I saw an opportunity to not involve anyone else.”
“We talked and I think we’re in a better place. Where we’re willing to put the past behind us. I think we’re going to judge each other from this point forward.”
“As far as this season is concerned, it didn’t cost him but he did cost me, at The Clash. It cost both of us here [at Phoenix]. But, that’s my —- execution.”
Hamlin added, “We just need to race each other with better respect, from this point forward. That’s what I hope to get out of this.”
Now, Chastain has been invited to be the first guest on Hamlin’s podcast.
Biggest NASCAR penalty in history on the way?
Denny Hamlin vs Ross Chastain
Phoenix Raceway
Update: Denny Hamlin fined by after incident with Ross Chastain at Phoenix
