The Cup Series race at Richmond saw Austin Dillon wreck Denny Hamlin on the final lap to win the race. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver wasn’t pleased with the maneuver that his long-time friend made but was understanding of it in his post-race interviews. So has their relationship been affected after all the drama?
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Hamlin told the press on Saturday that he holds no ill will and that he agreed with NASCAR’s decision to deny Dillon the playoff spot. He said, “I don’t have anything negative to say about his character. I really stuck up for him quite a bit earlier in this year, when he was going through some pretty tough finishes and things like that, and talking about how I really respected his character, and I still do.”
The two haven’t had the chance to get together and discuss the ordeal throughout the week. They were scheduled to play basketball with their usual group on Thursday but Dillon never showed up. Meanwhile, Hamlin reiterated how the No. 3 driver was put in a tough spot where he had to make a split-second decision and that he just made one that wasn’t in the best interest of the sport.
Hamlin believes everyone deserves a second chance and so does Dillon. He added that hard racing was still okay and that things could never be seen as black and white in some scenarios. NASCAR will have to live with the decision that it has made and bear with any backlash it may face over close calls in the future. That could be as soon as Sunday’s race on the 2-mile Michigan Speedway.
Dillon says he drew inspiration from Hamlin for Richmond wreck
Richard Childress Racing hasn’t been in great form this season. With an unusually fast Chevrolet Camaro powering him in Richmond, Dillon was in a position to win where he might not be in again for the rest of the season. The understanding of this made him do whatever it took to win. So, he did something that Hamlin might have done had he been in that situation.
Dillon said, “I respect his tactfulness and his brain when it comes to competition and how he portrays himself. He does a very good job in his gamesmanship. I have no disrespect for Denny. I think he plays the game well. So, I have got to do the same thing right now with my approach with everything that’s been going on.”
The FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
