MARTINSVILLE, Va.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin scuffled on pit road at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway following a late-race incident in Sunday’s First Data 500.
While racing for a spot inside the top-five, Hamlin and Logano collided on Lap 458 exiting Turn 4 onto the frontstretch which sent Logano’s No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang climbing the wall and sustaining right-side damage.
Logano eventually cut a tire and spun in Turn 1 on Lap 459 and sent the Team Penske driver to pit road for repairs.
After starting at the rear of the lead lap cars, Logano used the remaining 35 plus laps in the race to climb back through the field to finish eighth. Hamlin finished fourth – the second-highest among the Cup Series Playoff drivers.
After the race, the two drivers discussed the incident on pit road, then Logano slapped Hamlin on the shoulder and began walking away. Hamlin shouted back at Logano and began walking towards the reigning Cup Series champion before being reinstated by crew members and NASCAR officials.
“We were having a discussion, everything was civil, and then like Joey does, he does a little push and runs away,” Hamlin said.
“So that’s Joey,” added Hamlin. “Scared he said, “Do you want to go?” I said, “Yes, I’m here.” But then he runs away.
Hamlin gave his observation of the contact.
I got close off of Turn 4. It looks like we got together, and it looks like collateral damage,” described Hamlin. “He blew a tire. I mean, he would probably say, oh, short track racing.
Logano said he was frustrated with Hamlin because he didn’t show any remorse for the late-race contact.
“I just wanted to talk to him about it and was pretty frustrated,” he said. “He just kind of came off the corner like there wasn’t another car on the outside of him and ruined our day. A shot at the win for sure. We probably weren’t going to beat the 19, but we had a top-five for sure coming our way, but we just were able to survive there.
“I don’t really know what happened because once he started hitting me he didn’t lift, he just kept finishing me off. We ran each other fine all day, so I don’t know. I don’t really know what happened. He just kind of sends me up there and keeps on going with it. Cut down my tires and fender rubs everywhere.
“I honestly just wanted to see what he was going to say, and he really wasn’t apologetic at all. That’s more frustrating when someone is like that, isn’t it? When someone wrecks you and he’s like, meh, that’s not really what I was going for there. I just wanted to see what his thoughts were, and wasn’t quite the answer I was looking for.
“You know, at the end of the day, we still got a decent finish out of it and some points in the stages at least. But a little frustrated with the situation. I wanted to talk to him about it, and maybe I shouldn’t have shoved him at the end. It may have escalated it a little bit more. It’s frustrating. There’s a lot of passion out there.”
Later after cooling down, Logano told a group of reporters that he probably shouldn’t have slapped Hamlin’s uniform and called the moment unprofessional.
“I would take that part back,” Logano added. “Like I said, that wasn’t as professional as I should be. I wanted to have the conversation, but, like I said, the answers he was giving I felt wasn’t good enough and made me more mad.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
