As the playoff season hits the ground running with the Darlington showdown full of curveballs, all eyes are now on Kansas. Historically a hotbed for drama in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, if the May spectacle is anything to go by, NASCAR fans might be in for another rollercoaster ride.
The most recent update? A video has been making waves, offering a birds-eye view from Kyle Larson‘s cockpit during the May 2023 race. A close shave with Denny Hamlin saw Larson kissing the fence, pushing him to the P2 spot. Interestingly, a driver who usually faces the music with a chorus of boos seems to be winning hearts after this footage hit the airwaves.
Is history about to repeat itself with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson at Kansas?
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During the playoff kickoff at Darlington, Hamlin was flying high, clinching the first two stages and leading a whopping 177 laps. However, a minor pit crew hiccup saw victory slip through his fingers, handing the crown to Kyle Larson on a silver platter. This d?j? vu moment mirrors the May 2023 race, where Larson was in the driver’s seat for 83 laps, only for Hamlin to swoop in for the win after a minor mishap threw Larson off his game.
With the second playoff race around the corner in Kansas, an old video of the Kansas race in May 2023 is making the rounds. It features Larson’s insider, Cliff Daniels, pointing fingers at Hamlin for the fateful clash, exclaiming, “Well, go and wreck us, Denny. Denny is better than doing that. C?mon man! I thought he was better than that.”
Emotions can run high at a place like @kansasspeedway. pic.twitter.com/yTsaMpkmiV
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 7, 2023
The May face-off was nothing short of a nail-biter, boasting a record-breaking 37 lead changes. Hamlin clinched the win in a heart-stopping last-lap maneuver, nudging Larson aside. This 400-mile dance on the 1.5-mile track had spectators on the edge of their seats, especially with a record 11 cautions, the highest in the last dozen races, as per Racing Insights.
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Yet, in a twist of fate, the video saw NASCAR fans rallying behind Hamlin, shedding light on Larson’s missteps that set the stage for the crash.
Fans rally behind Hamlin, pointing the finger at Kyle Larson for the bump
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Often finding himself in the hot seat and on the receiving end of fans’ ire, Denny Hamlin is no stranger to the boo brigade. But, in a surprising change of heart, after feasting their eyes on the footage from Kyle Larson’s cockpit, NASCAR enthusiasts rallied behind Hamlin, standing firm that the blame didn’t lie at his doorstep.
Some fans threw their weight behind the JGR wheelman, stressing, “That?s not wrecking someone, Daniels. Cmon. Racing for a win and bumpers touched. Trying to side draft and Larson hit the wall causing him to bounce out.” Others, echoing the sentiments aired in the video, chimed in to point out, “Can?t be Denny’s fault if Larson was “clear.””
In fact, there was no shortage of fans donning their thinking caps and rallying to Hamlin’s defense in a myriad of ways:
“”Hooked you” no mf you got in the wall and it was to late to realize”
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“Emotions run high when you don?t do your job and keep the car high”
“Larson lost the front end, hit the wall, and came down across Denny?s nose. End of story.”
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For now, Racing Insights pegs Larson to clinch the crown at Kansas, with Hamlin hot on his heels in the top five. Recalling Larson’s triumphant wave of the checkered flag at Kansas in 2021, which paved his road to glory, another win here would indeed be a feather in his cap.
Moreover, it would ring in Hendrick Motorsports’ illustrious 300th Cup victory lap. On the flip side, a notch on Hamlin?s belt would inch him closer to the coveted 60th Cup Series win milestone. So, who’s your horse in this race? Drop us a line in the comments!