“There’s Blame to Be Placed” – Denny Hamlin Makes Sense of “Loser” Kyle Larson’s Frustration Post Pocono

Following last weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports driver, Kyle Larson had been visibly upset. This was due to an on-track altercation that had taken place between him and Denny Hamlin during the final stages of the race. Hamlin ran Larson wide and grazed the wall, took the lead, and won the race. Thereby, Larson’s race had been ruined and he ended up finishing in P20.

A couple of days after the race, Hamlin spoke with SiriusXM NASCAR radio, where he explained his take on Larson’s frustration with the events that occurred between the two drivers. He elaborated on how he would understand Larson’s position since he had also been in such a situation before.

Denny Hamlin explains Kyle Larson’s frustration at Pocono

Hamlin stated, “I understand when you are a fan of someone else, that is your allegiance and it doesn’t matter what happens with them you are going to. If things don’t go your way there blame to be placed somewhere. It doesn’t reside with your fandom to one given person or manufacturer or whatever it is.”

💯 “I don’t expect Kyle Larson to get out and be happy with it. There was a winner and there was a loser and he got the losing end of a racing deal.”

🗣️ @dennyhamlin discusses his move on @KyleLarsonRacin at @PoconoRaceway and his take on aggressive racing and fandom. pic.twitter.com/C76FkmAken

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 26, 2023

“I get all that, but I also, people need to understand too that like I get it in the sense I don’t expect Kyle Larson to get out and be happy with it, right? There was a winner and there is a loser. And he got the losing end of a racing deal. And same as before, when people call me a hypocrite, ‘Oh, because you condone this person when they wreck you.'”

“Well, of course, I was on the losing end of a racing deal. Of course, I am gonna be upset. And when I am on a good end of a racing deal, I’m not gonna be as upset. Now I do have a sense of why someone is upset. I have always acknowledged that I get it. That person is probably not happy.”

Hamlin says he understands Larson since he has been in the same scenario

Speaking further, Hamlin added, “I understand that I have been in that scenario. I wasn’t happy either. Of course, the emotions flipped from you think you did right, you think you did wrong because of what the result was to you. I guess it’s more complicated than that in a lot of scenarios.”

Considering that the JGR driver too has had several incidents where he has been on the receiving end of it, Hamlin’s justification for Larson’s frustration makes sense. Furthermore, the two drivers have historically been friends outside of the racetrack.

Hence the prevalent awkwardness of the situation has only been further amplified.