Dale Earnhardt Jr Calls Out Denny Hamlin for Taking Advantage of a Friend

Outperforming NASCAR icon Jeff Gordon for the most number of wins at the Tricky Triangle, Denny Hamlin is now facing the wrath of the NASCAR world. Embroiled in controversy for jeopardizing Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, Hamlin was even subjected to loud booing from an angry Pocono crowd upon arrival in Victory Lane. 

Now, NASCAR’s beloved Dale Earnhardt Jr has called out the Joe Gibbs Racing #11 driver for taking advantage of his friend.

Dale Jr calls out Denny Hamlin’s Pocono foul

Out to seek redemption after being stripped of his Pocono win last season, Denny Hamlin was not willing to let the race win slip away. The spin-out triggered a restart that led Kyle Larson to lead. Approaching Turn 1, Denny Hamlin pounced on an opportunity to pass the #5 HMS car, and in doing so, he ran Kyle Larson into the outside wall. This act by Hamlin was a repeat of last season’s Pocono race, where the JGR driver ran Ross Chastain into the wall during an overtake.

Speaking on the final lap events at Pocono on a recent Dale Jr Download podcast episode, Dale said; “It was exactly like with the #1 car, Ross Chastain last year. So Denny gets position in the middle of the corner, Larson missed the corner, didn’t, whatever right. Larson didn’t get through the corner as well.

Denny gets wheel-to-wheel mid-corner. He makes a decision in that moment to throttle up and drive up the racetrack and door the hell out of the five. There’s contact, he’s coming up the track right? So I agree uh that it was a dirty move to door him, to throttle up and just door him.”

Calling out Denny Hamlin for taking advantage of a friend, Junior added, “But it’s for the win, you know. It’s not how you would expect friends to race friends, but maybe that friendship, which I’ve seen this, and I’ve been part of this on the race track; when you got buddies you use them up.

Because you know you’re like, ‘Hey man, I know this guy. I know he is not gonna do anything. I know him,’ you know, ‘and I feel like I can take advantage of this situation and get out of the car and go- Hey bud, come on man. You know, we just racing.’”

While Dale Jr called out Denny Hamlin for jeopardizing his friendship with Kyle Larson, the #5 HMS driver’s post-race interview indicates the friendship has sailed.

Watch This Story: 23XI Co-owner Denny Hamlin Favors Rivals-Trackhouse-Racing Driver Over His Own Driver Bubba Wallace

Kyle Larson warns Denny Hamlin

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Expressing his displeasure with Denny Hamlin’s action, Kyle Larson then retorted with a bump to the #11 JGR Toyota’s driver-side panel while under caution. Unfazed by Larson’s side tap, Hamlin led the way, driving down Pocono’s Victory Lane for his 50th Cup Series career win.

Interviewing Yung Money after the conclusion of the Pocono event, Sirius XM’s Claire B. Lang asked the Hendrick Motorsports driver about the altercation. Sending out a warning to Hamlin, Yung Money replied, “He still won, so I didn’t pay him back!”

Read More: Dale Earnhardt Jr “Sorry Not Sorry” About 14-Year-Old Daytona Altercation Against Tony Stewart’s Former Driver That Angered His Own Fans

Payback is NASCAR’s official on-track currency, and with Larson seeing red, Denny Hamlin will need to watch out for the #5 Chevy in the upcoming races.