Going into Richmond, not many expected the conversation around the Denny Hamlin-Kyle Larson incident from Pocono last weekend to die down. If anything, the talk has only increased, evident by the fact that almost every driver was asked about the matter in the pre-race media sessions. While some chose to skirt the issue, RFK driver-owner Brad Keselowski did not, speaking at length about where he thinks things are headed and what is leading to the increase of such incidents on the track in NASCAR.
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While not directly commenting on whether Hamlin was in the wrong, the 2012 Cup Series champion did, however, sound a word of caution to NASCAR on something that even Denny Hamlin referred to in his podcast episode mid-week.
Brad Keselowski does not believe NASCAR has a fixed code of ethics
When Keselowski was asked if he felt Denny Hamlin’s move on Kyle Larson was dirty in his eyes, the driver replied, “Nobody cares what’s fair in this sport anymore, it doesn’t matter. What matters is what the rules are and the rules are it’s legal, and so that’s what we race to, right. You race to the rules. You know you always get into this different code of ethics and all that and it means 20 different things to 20 different people.”
“It really doesn’t matter in the end, you know. He won the race, he got the trophy, and uh, two or three weeks from now, nobody will remember.”
This does seem to have some merit, considering Larson was in a similar position with Bubba Wallace last year in Vegas, something Hamlin brought up in his defense after Pocono.
Keselowski believes the Next Gen car might lead to more such incidents
Interestingly, just like Hamlin, Keselowski also feels the increase in such incidents can be put down to how the Next Gen cars behave on the track. Asked whether it is the car that now allows the drivers to make more moves like these, Keselowski added, “The Next Gen car with its extreme durability makes it prone to more passing via contact than the old cars did and that’s not meant to just to be in that situation, just in general, that all situations and so I think that’s had a profound effect on what you’re seeing on the race track as a fan and what we are expected to do as a driver.”
“Whether it’s Ross’s move at Martinsville or you pick your scenario, uh, you know the road courses especially. I mean, the car’s a tank, and people race it like a tank accordingly. So that’s created some different dynamics and that’s obviously going to put some stress points throughout the season where you know, moves are always kind of blurring up against some kind of ethics line.”
Keselowski did conclude on a cautious note, expressing that unless something or an incident pulls it back, the level of aggression in NASCAR will only rise in the coming years.
