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Ryan Blaney calls Denny Hamlin a 'hack' after 4EVER 400 at Homestead-Miami

JHby:Jonathan Howard•10/22/23•

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Ryan Blaney
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Blaney is continuing his crusade against Denny Hamlin after the two went back and forth late in the 4EVER 400. These NASCAR Playoff drivers were racing hard late in this race. From Blaney’s point of view, Hamlin was wasting his time and his tires.

During the race, Blaney was a little more colorful with his criticism of Denny. However, after the race, he also had a pretty good retort. Hamlin and Blaney kept trying to slide up in front of each other and swapped track position multiple times.

Despite coming off a restart with 45 laps to go in the lead, Blaney quickly fell back to P4. That was due to how Hamlin raced him.

Then, Ryan Blaney didn’t have enough tires or speed to reel Christopher Bell in at the end. For the 12 team, Hamlin cost them a win and a guaranteed spot in the Phoenix championship race.

“Oh, he tried to slide me two or three times and failed miserably, and then just decided to use me up,” Blaney said after the race. “I mean, if you’re going to slide somebody, slide somebody, commit. Don’t halfway do it and use me up. What does he, what does he say? Hack? I think he was that today.”

Of course, Ryan Blaney is making reference to Denny Hamlin’s infamous comments about Alex Bowman a few years back.

Ryan Blaney gets the last laugh, for now

Of course, only one of these drivers finished the race on Sunday. Ryan Blaney brought it home in P2. Meanwhile, Hamlin would hit the wall in the middle of the battle with the 12. His steering went out and straight to the wall he went. His day was cut short.

So, you have to figure that Blaney got the last laugh here. We’ll see though, when the field for Phoenix is set after Martinsville next week. Blaney is good at the Paperclip. Hamlin just happens to be REALLY good there.

For now, Blaney is good to go. He overcame a double-digit points deficit to go into the positive after Homestead-Miami. Yes, he didn’t get the win. That could haunt him before the playoffs are all said and done.

Ryan Blaney is going to have a points cushion next week. But there are only two spots up for grabs. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell are locked in. William Byron has a 30-point cushion. Blaney 10 points above the cutline. Win and you’re in. Something has got to give.