Denny Hamlin on Kyle Larson rivalry: ‘It’s going to keep going’
Denny Hamlin conceded on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast Monday that he does, in fact, have a rivalry with Kyle Larson.
All it took was for another on-track incident between he and Larson to make that confession, this time the two becoming intertwined during Sunday’s Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
“Sure, if you want to call it that,” Hamlin said.
After Larson drove Hamlin up the track at the end of Stage 2, Hamlin responded by giving Larson a light nudge after the stage came to an end. Hamlin told his team, ‘Alright, I’ll get him,” which prompted crew chief Chris Gabehart to yell at him multiple times to stop.
“We’re gonna win the race, worry about the grab assing later,” Gabehart told Hamlin.
Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson racing each other hard on weekly basis
The two drivers have had their fair share of on-track incidents over the years, but it’s only intensified in recent weeks. During Stage 2 at Iowa, it was Hamlin, a lap down at the time, running into the back of Larson’s rear while the Hendrick Motorsports driver was leading the race. Then came the race at New Hampshire, when the two were banging doors racing for position before the expected severe weather came through.
Hamlin said on last week’s podcast that he doesn’t have a rivalry with Larson.
“It’s not [a rivalry],” Hamlin said. “I like Kyle and listen, just watch the race and we all do this to each other all the time. I don’t know why there’s an emphasis, is it because we’re up front all the time? Maybe that’s it, but the 5 and 12 [Ryan Blaney] ran each other up the racetrack. It’s racing, it’s short-track racing — get over it.”
Larson echoed Hamlin’s thoughts even after their latest run-in at Nashville.
“I don’t know. I mean, I wouldn’t agree or disagree. It comes and goes,” Larson said. “I feel like you know, we race well together at times, and there’s times when I feel like you know, he races me not the fairest, and I’m sure he feels the same way.
“So yeah, it’s not an ongoing rivalry, but there’s definitely weeks and stretches where it compiles. But hopefully we can move on from it soon, and I can get a little bit of respect from him.”
Hamlin added this week he’s content with the way he and Larson are racing each other.
“I’m in this for the long haul,” Hamlin said. “I’m fine with the way we’re racing and it’s going to keep going and it’s going to keep getting raised.”