Denny Hamlin Says He Won’t Apologize For Running Bubba Wallace Into The Wall At Kansas

Denny Hamlin warned those listening this week’s episode of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast that they might not get what they tuned in for after the Kansas playoffs race.

“If they’re wanting an apology, they can they can turn off now,” Hamlin said.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Hamlin dominated the day at Kansas Speedway with two stage wins and was battling his way back from a bad pit stop late in the race as he drove into the final two turns side by side with Bubba Wallace at the front of the pack looking for the win.

Hamlin appeared to lose downforce and came up the track, which forced Wallace’s No. 23 car to tap the wall. They both lost momentum, which allowed Chase Elliott to tuck inside of them in the No. 9 car and slip by to steal the victory.

DENNY HAMLIN CONFIRMS NASCAR RETIREMENT PLANS: ‘NOT GOING TO LEAVE THIS SPORT ON MY DEATHBED’

It was a doubly-disappointing result as Hamlin co-owns the 23XI Racing team Wallace drives for and both were in Toyotas, while Elliott drives a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

“Because I’m, because I’m racing for the win and I definitely won’t apologize for racing for the win,” Hamlin said.

“On Sunday, I am the driver. The the person in the [No.] 11 car is the driver,” he explained. “That’s where the disconnect, I think, comes from is that people expect me to be a different person. They expect me to be the guy with a 2311 shirt on when I’m in the 11 car, that’s hat’s just not possible.”

SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE AMERICAN CARS AND RACING NEWSLETTER FOR MORE NASCAR UPDATES

Hamlin said he would have raced anyone the same way, even his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, who were not far behind him on the final lap.

“Joe pays me a lot of money to make sure that that car wins a championship, or has a shot and, I mean, could you imagine the outrage if I just backed off and let him have it? Race manipulation. Holy [expletive]. People lose their minds.”

After analyzing the situation, he said he probably should have eased up, but didn’t realize how close the cars were in the moment.

“Had I known we had no gap between our cars, I would have known my car is about to go straight, but I had no way of knowing that. I did not know, and so I entered the corner the same amount to the same point I always let off and my car went dead straight. And it’s because of the arrow situation that I was in. I was closer to to the 23 han I had budgeted for and, unfortunately, it took us both up the track. I took him up the track. He bounced off the wall. I slowed down enough that we, you know, gave the nine car the win. But that is racing, and I’m not going to apologize for trying trying to win the race that the 11 car was the most deserving car to win that race, without a doubt,” he said.

Hamlin finished second and held on to fourth place in the playoffs standings with a 48-point cushion, while Wallace ended up fifth and is below the cut-line in 10th with a 26-point deficit to make up at the Charlotte Roval.

Follow American Cars And Racing across our social media on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Reddit