Tony Stewart’s Prodigy’s Break Saved “Indecisive” Denny Hamlin From Causing a Big One at Daytona

Having already clinched his place with a pair of victories at Daytona, Denny Hamlin seemingly wanted to shift gears to champion his 23XI Racing team’s driver, Bubba Wallace. But to truly have Wallace’s back, Hamlin needed to be on his tail. Alas, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and the race didn’t pan out for either.

From the driver’s seat, Hamlin blazed a trail, spearheading 12 consecutive laps from 23 to 36. Yet, just when it appeared he was in the driver’s seat, Martin Truex Jr. took over, and Hamlin plummeted to a 26th-place finish. Nevertheless, amid the track’s twists and turns, Hamlin, in his latest podcast, doffed his cap to the rising star from Tony Stewart’s stable, lauding his racetrack flair and the help that saved Hamlin from a major crash.

“If he did cut me a break, thank you; I appreciate that,” said Denny Hamlin, recalling the nail-biting events of the race

At Daytona, unlike previous races, the wind wasn’t in Hamlin’s sails, particularly following the pile-up instigated by Christopher Bell nudging Ty Gibbs, who clipped the leading Ryan Blaney and triggered a colossal 16-car chaos, with Hamlin also caught in the fray.

In retrospect, it seems Ryan Blaney, previously lauded by NASCAR giants like Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick for his prowess behind the wheel, might have spared Hamlin a time or two. In a candid moment, Hamlin conveyed his gratitude to Stewart’s prodigy for providing a clear path when Hamlin was treading on thin ice, grappling with split-second decisions to overtake or avoid a potential crash. On his podcast, Hamlin asserted that since it’s a very quick decision to make on the track, drivers, including himself, are often confused and indecisive at times as to when to take the risk.

Hamlin mused, “It’s just, it is so quick; you gotta be quick with those moves, and sometimes, when you are ‘indecisive,’ what you’ll do as a driver is, if you are not sure, you’ll go half-way up and then see if that person’s is still coming or their momentum stops. If their momentum stops, you’re like, Okay, you’re going to go ahead; keep going. But if he did cut me a break, thank you; I appreciate that.“

Elaborating more on the Team Penske driver while thanking him, Hamlin also tipped his hat to him for his swift pace and commendable qualifying race performance.

JGR star appreciates the Team Penske driver after he helped him (Hamlin) on the track

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Throughout the Daytona saga, Hamlin appeared to be at sixes and sevens, navigating a maze of confusion that did him no favors. Yet, in these turbulent waters, it was the generous hand of the Team Penske driver, notably recognized in Hamlin’s podcast, that steered him clear of deeper trouble.

Read More: Denny Hamlin Sends Heartbreaking 3-Word Message to Departing Legend

But Hamlin’s acknowledgment wasn’t just a fleeting nod; he sang praises for Ryan Blaney’s spirited run and commendable start position, remarking, “He was fast; he had a good run going; I don’t know where he finished, but he was strong leaving that outside line. It was pretty impressive. And they qualified superwell so. I wonder if that was a Stewart-Haas car or a road car; 36 was in the front a road car. You can put a number on anything. It qualified like a Stewart-Haas car.”

With the curtains drawn on the 2023 Cup Series’ regular season, all spotlights now focus on the playoffs, with bated breath for Hamlin’s tactical game plan. But food for thought: had the shoe been on the other foot, would Hamlin have been as generous to Blaney on the track? Your thoughts?

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