While NASCAR tries to tamp down the flames, Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t want Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain’s feud to be ruined. Over the last two years, Hamlin and Chastain have given fans a rivalry that they have been wanting for a long time.
Let’s just put it plainly, rivalry is good for sports. Magic and Bird. Brady and Manning. And it is quickly becoming Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain. When you see the 11 and 1 near one another, you perk up.
Dale Jr. just hopes that NASCAR doesn’t get in the way of a good thing. Of course, things don’t need to escalate too far. But some rough driving and racing are good for the fans and good for expanding the sport.
“Behind closed doors, I would be taking Ross and Dennny both to a fine steak house and giving them Rolexes. Because everything they’ve done in the last two years has drawn nothing but good attention. Nothing but good attention [to NASCAR].”
For all intents and purposes, Dale Jr. just hopes that Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain and keep racing how they feel comfortable racing. That means Ross is going to get into folks.
Now, Denny Hamlin is having to deal with the repercussions of not just his actions but his words. The JGR driver kind of ratted on himself by admitting that he hit Chastain on purpose when he lost grip at Phoenix. But, I don’t think it will change much.
Denny Hamlin Making an Appeal ‘To the People’
After Denny Hamlin was hit with a $50,000 fine and a 25-point penalty, he decided to just take the punishment. No appeal. At least, not officially to NASCAR. Hamlin is not one to shy away from controversy and he was more than happy to tell fans what he thought.
Denny Hamlin plans on talking to the people of NASCAR. The fans and others and hopefully will get their blessing for his actions. If you like the sport and what makes it good, then this drama is right up your alley. Depending on if you’re a Hamlin or Chastain fan, your opinion might change from week to week.
I completely agree with Dale Jr. here. We need these drivers to drive how they want. We need style and difference in strategy. Having a young driver like Chastain get into it with Hamlin is what makes NASCAR fun. The old and new coming against one another.
Even with this penalty, I don’t think we are going to see Denny Hamlin change. Last year, he racked up a list of rivals and he’s only just started to get back at some of them. It is a long season and more moments will fuel the fire of this rivalry.
