Kyle Larson moved Denny Hamlin while two laps down; This comes one race after Hamlin put Larson in the wall for the win at Pocono
Two weeks ago, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson raced side-by-side for the win at Pocono Raceway. On a restart, Hamlin ran Larson wide, shoving him into the wall.
Watch the Richmond video below.
Under the caution that followed, Larson passed several cars and side swiped Hamlin under the yellow. Hamlin still went on to win the race as Larson dropped through the field due to heavy damage.
“I never touched him,” Hamlin famously stated.
Denny Hamlin crashes Kyle Larson to win Pocono (Video)
After Pocono, Larson stated, “I’m not going to let it tarnish a friendship. But, I am pissed. And, I feel like I should be pissed. I’m sure during ‘Actions Detrimental’ he’ll have a long clip about it.”
After Pocono, Larson noted that he would have to race Hamlin different going forward.
“I think at this point, I have to. I’ve never had to apologize to him about anything I’ve done on the racetrack. I can count 4-5 times where he’s had to reach out to, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry.’ “
“Eventually, like he says, you gotta start racing people to get the respect back.”
On Sunday, they raced at Richmond Raceway. Hamlin was one of the leaders for most of the day. Larson meanwhile was on an alternative pit strategy.
At one point, Larson sat 2 laps down but he had fresh tires. As he caught the bumper of Hamlin, he put the bumper to him and moved him out of the way. Hamlin was running in the top-5 at the time.
Was that Larson racing Hamlin different?
Denny Hamlin comments after Richmond
“He was having a tough day and we were racing up front for a win,” Hamlin said. “It’s all good on my end, for sure.”
Kyle Busch knocks Denny Hamlin for the move on Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson comments after Richmond
“I mean, I’m just trying to maximize my time and they were two-wide in front of me and there was a little bit of a hole, and I shot through the hole,” Larson stated to NASCAR.com.
Larson added, “So just based off the kind of strategy we were on and trying to do what we could to, like I said, maximize the strategy of being on one stop, I just couldn’t waste any time.”
NASCAR reacts to incidents with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson
Richmond Results: July 30, 2023 (NASCAR Cup Series)
Kyle Larson moves Denny Hamlin
Richmond Raceway
Links
Kyle Larson | Denny Hamlin | Pocono Raceway | Richmond Raceway | NASCAR
