Pocono Raceway was a hotbed for action on July 23rd, 2023, culminating in a dramatic fight for the lead between the No. 11 Toyota TRD Camry of Denny Hamlin and the No. 5 NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1 of Kyle Larson. Hamlin put the No. 11 Camry against the No. 5 Camaro of Larson, causing the latter to tag the wall and finish 21st instead of fighting for the lead. Hamlin defended his move, even going so far as to say he “didn’t touch” Larson’s race car, but fellow competitors haven’t let his actions go. In fact, Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 8 Camaro, had some words for Hamlin on the matter, according to Racing News.
“The bump and run scenario, that might even be a worse cheap-shot,” Busch said at Richmond Raceway, where the Cup Series competed on July 30th, 2023. “You flat out run into the corner, deeper than you know your car’s going to stick. And you use the guy in front of you as a brake. That’s what happens in the bump-and-run.”
Busch mentioned the parallels between Hamlin’s move and a similar incident that occurred at Richmond in 2008 between himself and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Busch, then driving the No. 18 Camry, made contact with Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevy Impala SS as they were racing for the lead, sending Earnhardt sideways and ending his hopes of winning.
“My issue with [Earnhardt] Jr. here in 2008, we were racing side-by-side,” Busch said. “You keep inching deeper into the corner, every single time. There’s going to be a time you go over that limit and slip. That was me and I made contact with him.”
As for Hamlin’s move, Busch said there wasn’t an excuse for forcing the No. 11 Camry into Larson’s No. 5 Camaro.
“When you get side-by-side with someone, for the first chance and you just whack them out,” he said. “That’s not racing, that’s whacking.”
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy news, NASCAR news, GM motorsports news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Denny is always “In the right”. Just like Kyle Larson said. He’s never the “Bad Guy”. Denny is getting to be a “Dirty” driver! Just like Joey Lagano. Can’t stand they way both of them drive. It’s always some one else, who’s the bad guy. Not them. Nascar has gotton to be, “He who crashes the other guy” wins. Dirty racing is becoming the norm. Can’t enjoy the races now. Nothing but dirty racing!
I agree. Your comments remind me of the time the 20 (Matt Kenseth) took out the 22 (Logano). The 22 was crying and winning, saying you don’t take out the leader. Yet this SOB had done the same thing to the 20.
There always was some bumping and grinding in NASCAR.
The ones who complained at the beginning of this year about Ross Chastain are still the ones doing it NOW! Where is NASCAR during all of this? Especially when Hamlin admits he does it on purpose!
Either let them go and let them race or cool their jets. I liked it better up until Richard Petty retired. The new rules have become more like restraints in development of the cars and the sport.
Nothing is like it was a few years ago. Racing was Run What You Brung, thats yesteryear, now MOST have to run by the rules but a few run by what they can get by with as long as it’s not blatantly obvious. The bad boys are what sells the tickets and keeps the TV contracts going.
Yeh, yer right about the ruff stuff sell! But there are a few to knock guys out ina very creative way. It’s alway, Oops. “I didn’t mean too”! Denny, Ross, and Joey, all do it that way. I LOVE it, when other drivers give “pay Back”! “Boys Have At IT” is great, but taking guys out in a sneaky way sucks. Racin’ is racin’ but lets be aggressive, without taking each other out. Larry Mac, said it best…a race car is like a 3,000 pound,loaded gun. safe, until one uses it the wrong way
Me too! I love seeing those paybacks. My all time favorite is seeing Matt Kenseth taking out Logano at Martinsville. The crowd roared! I loved it! Talk about getting your comeuppance.
Strange that NASCAR didn’t take any actions against Logano for crashing Matt at Kansas, but penalized Matt.
I saw that race. LOVED it. Pay backs are a bitch!
Oh yeah. They sure are. I believe this is one of the best paybacks of all time that I’ve seen.
Denny will never win a championship. He’s such a hypocrite. I hope he always gets wrecked on any restart. He’s taken the “Sport” out of racing and created my hammer is bigger than yours!
YESSSSSS!
Denny isn’t retired yet, but if he does he won’t be a popular champion. Maybe the smartest driver on the track and uses it for his hypocritically good.
Bumper cars at high speed. What could be more fun? This kind of behavior in NASCAR won’t stop until someone is badly hurt or killed.
Guess Denny replaced Kyle B. as most disliked driver?
According to the boos in the stands … yes, yes he has.
It just really sucks. Denny is a dirty driver. He always has been and he will continue to be which is part of the reason he’s never won a championship. If he wants respect on the track then he needs to show respect to other drivers. Kyle Larson is one of the cleanest racers you’ll ever see. He’s humble he doesn’t just take people out to win a race. Denny is just pathetic. Him and logano are two of the same
Denny has been this way since he started racing and running up front winning races anyway he can. He has always blamed the other driver and it’s never his fault or he never causes anyone to wreck. Then he whines like a little kid when someone even gets near him takening the air off his car making him almost wreck or causes him to have to back out and gives up a spot. It’s always someone else who causes the wreck no matter what Denny does. He is just a sore looser and a cry baby thinking he is the better than everyone else. What a looser and he haired the other big looser to drive one of his cars he’s part owner of
Denny and NASCAR just ruined what was a couple of spectacular races. Chicago and Pocono were absolutely the best races of 2023. To be muddied by the 11 slamming the 5 and NASCAR’s non penalty response, just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.