Hamlin & Busch Sparks still flyin’ Smoldering rancor over All-Star Race flares up at Coca-Cola 600

June 04, 2010
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By RICK MINTER / Cox Newspapers

The dust-up between Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch in NASCAR’s All-Star Race continued to generate buzz well into the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend, with both drivers obviously far from putting the incident completely behind them.

They did manage to avoid each other on the track during the 600, but they had plenty to say beforehand.

During his regular meeting with the media on Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Busch fielded question after question about the incident late in the All-Star Race when Busch tried to pass Hamlin.

To Busch’s credit, he maintained his cool, never really losing his temper.

“I think my frustration right now is just continually having to talk about the same thing over and over again,” Busch said in response to the 11th straight question about the Hamlin incident. “You’re trying to hit something, and I feel like I’m answering what you’re asking.

“For me, I’m over the Denny Hamlin issue. It’s done. We’re moving forward, and we look forward to the rest of the year and the 600 this weekend. We’re going to work together.”

He added that he didn’t regret threatening Hamlin over his radio during the All-Star Race, but added that he didn’t really mean he wanted to kill him.

“Do I regret saying what I said over the radio? Absolutely not,” Busch said. “It was the heat of the moment, that’s who I am, that’s my expression and I’m not going to be sorry for what I say …

“It wasn’t joking, but it wasn’t going to happen, it wasn’t meant.”

Hamlin, who appeared before the same media contingent later in the day, defended his driving in the All-Star Race, saying Busch should have slowed down instead of running into the wall when the gap on the outside of Hamlin shrank to less than a car’s width.

“He has a gas pedal and a brake just like I do,” Hamlin said. “He could choose to check up and pass me in the next corner or put his car in the fence like what happened. That’s just part of it, and I think he expected me to do that there and I just wasn’t willing to do it at that point.”

But as Hamlin’s session wore on, he took a few verbal shots at Busch, saying his teammate needs to calm down some before he can contend for a title.

“Kyle [Busch] brings this stuff up himself, and he gets mad at the media for asking him questions about his blowups and stuff, but he does it to himself,” Hamlin said. “I don’t want to be part of it. Any drama that he wants to create or anything is on him. Anything he says on the radio is on him. All I’m going to say – and I’m going to be done with it – is each year I think Kyle’s going to grow out of it, and he just doesn’t.

“Until he puts it all together, that’s when he’ll become a champion. Right now he just doesn’t have himself all together.”

When asked about his own maturing process, Hamlin apparently couldn’t resist slinging one last barb at Busch.

He said his growing-up moment occurred when veteran Tony Stewart left Gibbs, leaving Hamlin the senior driver on the team.

“I didn’t say that I was going to take over this team or be the leader of this team, but somebody’s got to be the leader,” he said. “It ain’t going to be Kyle.”

Hamlin & BuschSparks still flyin’Smoldering rancor over All-Star Race flares up at Coca-Cola 600By RICK MINTER / Cox Newspapers
The dust-up between Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch in NASCAR’s All-Star Race continued to generate buzz well into the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend, with both drivers obviously far from putting the incident completely behind them. They did manage to avoid each other on the track during the 600, but they had plenty to say beforehand.During his regular meeting with the media on Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Busch fielded question after question about the incident late in the All-Star Race when Busch tried to pass Hamlin.To Busch’s credit, he maintained his cool, never really losing his temper.“I think my frustration right now is just continually having to talk about the same thing over and over again,” Busch said in response to the 11th straight question about the Hamlin incident. “You’re trying to hit something, and I feel like I’m answering what you’re asking. “For me, I’m over the Denny Hamlin issue. It’s done. We’re moving forward, and we look forward to the rest of the year and the 600 this weekend. We’re going to work together.”He added that he didn’t regret threatening Hamlin over his radio during the All-Star Race, but added that he didn’t really mean he wanted to kill him.“Do I regret saying what I said over the radio? Absolutely not,” Busch said. “It was the heat of the moment, that’s who I am, that’s my expression and I’m not going to be sorry for what I say …“It wasn’t joking, but it wasn’t going to happen, it wasn’t meant.”Hamlin, who appeared before the same media contingent later in the day, defended his driving in the All-Star Race, saying Busch should have slowed down instead of running into the wall when the gap on the outside of Hamlin shrank to less than a car’s width.“He has a gas pedal and a brake just like I do,” Hamlin said. “He could choose to check up and pass me in the next corner or put his car in the fence like what happened. That’s just part of it, and I think he expected me to do that there and I just wasn’t willing to do it at that point.”But as Hamlin’s session wore on, he took a few verbal shots at Busch, saying his teammate needs to calm down some before he can contend for a title.“Kyle [Busch] brings this stuff up himself, and he gets mad at the media for asking him questions about his blowups and stuff, but he does it to himself,” Hamlin said. “I don’t want to be part of it. Any drama that he wants to create or anything is on him. Anything he says on the radio is on him. All I’m going to say – and I’m going to be done with it – is each year I think Kyle’s going to grow out of it, and he just doesn’t. “Until he puts it all together, that’s when he’ll become a champion. Right now he just doesn’t have himself all together.”When asked about his own maturing process, Hamlin apparently couldn’t resist slinging one last barb at Busch.He said his growing-up moment occurred when veteran Tony Stewart left Gibbs, leaving Hamlin the senior driver on the team.“I didn’t say that I was going to take over this team or be the leader of this team, but somebody’s got to be the leader,” he said. “It ain’t going to be Kyle.”