Denny Hamlin admits positive aspect of Ross Chastain’s aggressive style

Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain have had their fair-share of run-ins on the track, but that isn’t blocking the former from seeing the positive aspect of Chastain’s driving.

While it may annoy Hamlin as a driver, taking the perspective of a fan, team owner and media member, Hamlin recognizes Chastain’s driving is great to bring some new eyes to the sport. Speaking on the topic during his podcast, Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran elaborated on his point.

“It’s great for the storylines, there’s no question. We’re talking about it. This is what NASCAR needs, right? These types of storylines. You need someone to ruffle some feathers every now and then,” started Hamlin. “You would think that it would be this guy this week, that guy the next week and it just kind of ebbs and flows. Man, he’s a magnet for it.”

Hamlin makes some salient points. Chastain’s aggressive style has made him more popular in the eyes of many fans, but it’s also made him a target for immense heat in the garage. It remains to be seen which aspect means more to him, and whether or not he decides to change.

Continuing, NASCAR veteran turned NBC analyst Burton likened the Chastain situation to when the aforementioned Hamlin was penalized for admitting he took Chastain out at Phoenix earlier this season.

Evidently, Burton believes that set a dangerous precedent, and now it’s impossible to deal with the matter on-track.

“It’s a confusing time in NASCAR,” added Burton. “We had a driver that admitted to putting another driver in a bad situation in Denny Hamlin, and they penalized him. So what do you do? What is the recourse as drivers? It’s a difficult time. There was a time in NASCAR where you’d just go wreck him. I would say I wrecked him. You can’t do that now. They just fined Denny Hamlin. So what is the recourse? And that’s what I think, when I said it was difficult for everybody in the garage, that’s what I’m talking about. How do you handle this, what do you do? It’s a defining moment. 

“Honestly, some of it’s got to come from NASCAR. They’ve got to tell the drivers what they can and can’t do. NASCAR’s got to step in or not. But you’ve got to do one of the two. You can’t do both.”

Nobody knows how it’ll all turn out for Ross Chastain, but one thing is for sure that Denny Hamlin is right about, people will be watching regardless.