Watch the reaction from Denny Hamlin as he watches the video of Ross Chastain punch Noah Gragson at Kansas Speedway
On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series raced at Kansas Speedway. The race saw the most passes for the lead than any race in the history of the track. It ended with a last lap pass that ended in a crash.
Denny Hamlin entered turn one on the final lap just a few inches off the rear bumper of race leader Kyle Larson. Larson got loose, brushed the wall and Hamlin was able to pull alongside.
The two drivers ran side by side off turn two. Hamlin was attempting to side draft, aggressively. As they fought for space, Larson was turned into the outside wall.
Denny Hamlin drove to the race win.
Denny Hamlin details the contact with Kyle Larson
“I knew we were better, I saw him starting to get loose,” Denny Hamlin stated.
“It was a slow march toward Kyle. It really started with 3 laps to go or so. I was able to get beside him a few times.”
“With 2 to go, I knew the only way I was going to have an attempt to get near him was to get a huge run off turn four. I ran way up high in turn three. Kind of a Kyle Larson line way up by the fence, then I just turned it down and got a huge run.”
“That run allowed to pack air on him getting into the corner and get him up the race track so I could get beside him.”
“We were both peddling the throttle on the exit. I was sideways and he was sideways. I knew it was going to be close if he was going to clear me.”
“Then, I’m just trying to grind on his left side, trying to keep the sidedraft as tight as I could. It’s just a super sensitive part of the car. Obviously, it hooked him to the right.”
Hamlin added, “And we won, the end.”
As Hamlin climbed from his car, he was met with a wave of boos from the crowd.
“It just kinda depends who’s there. I don’t have any reaction to it. Kyle’s a little bit more popular than me. So, they’re not going to like me winning.”
Denny Hamlin watched the Ross Chastain fight
As Hamlin went to victory lane, there was drama on the pit lane. Noah Gragson confronted Ross Chastain after contact in the race. Gragson was met with a punch from Chastain.
NASCAR Fight: Ross Chastain vs Noah Gragson in Kansas (Video)
At the time that Hamlin entered to the post-race press conference, he was unaware of the fight. He and Chastain recently ended a near year-long feud.
“I saw Ross in victory lane. He said, ‘Congrats, that was a hell of a run. I thought you’d never get there.’ “
Hamlin added, “Is there something I need to talk about tonight?”
The race winner was then shown the video of the fight between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson.
“He told him to stop,” Hamlin said with a laugh.
Denny Hamlin admits retaliation on Ross Chastain at Phoenix (Video)
Denny Hamlin watches the Ross Chastain punch for the first time
Multiple video angles of Ross Chastain vs Noah Gragson in Kansas (Video)
Links
Denny Hamlin | Ross Chastain | Noah Gragson | Kansas Speedway | NASCAR
