Ross Chastain’s last-lap antics in the Bank of America Roval 400 left Denny Hamlin spinning across the finish line, and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was not impressed
Ross Chastain has established himself as a top NASCAR star(Image: Getty)
Denny Hamlin hit back at Ross Chastain following the NASCAR mayhem that erupted during the final lap of the Bank of America Roval 400.
What began as a frantic playoff battle concluded with Hamlin’s vehicle spinning backwards across the finish line, tensions boiling over, and total pandemonium, according to the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.
Shane Van Gisbergen claimed victory in the elimination race at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course, while Chastain required a perfect showing to keep his Round 8 dreams alive. He received a speeding violation on pit road, which buried him far back in the pack and pushed him into do-or-die territory. The news emerges as Denny Hamlin makes honest admission on wrecking teammate Ty Gibbs – ‘How it works’.
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With his Cup Series aspirations dangling by the thinnest of margins, he drove his No. 1 machine hard into the barrier, crashing into Hamlin’s No.11 Toyota. Both cars spun violently, threw their Next Gen vehicles into reverse, and reversed across the line in a frantic bid to complete the race ahead.
Hamlin finished second at the latest Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway(Image: Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Joey Logano snuck past both drivers amid the pandemonium, taking the checkered flag and knocking out Chastain by a mere four points. When questioned about his final-lap “maneuver,” Chastain made no attempt to conceal his strategy, reports the Express US.
“Get to the 11,” he said. “I mean, they said I had to be in front of the 11. So I did what I had to do to be in front of the 11.”
Chastain subsequently tried to defuse the tension by characterizing those caught up in the mayhem as “innocent bystanders.
Denny Hamlin discussed his Ross Chastain incident(Image: Getty)
“I’m aware of my surroundings and I’m sorry to them. Sorry to Denny. Sorry to JGR and his whole team,” he added. “They were definitely innocent bystanders.”
Hamlin’s response showed his characteristic stubborn streak.
When pressed about his tactics in those crucial final turns, particularly whether he would have tried to obstruct Logano, he responded, “I would have made the best decision for me.”
Asked the same question again, Hamlin delivered an identical response. However, he subsequently shared his thoughts on Logano’s track record in high-stakes competitions.
“Obviously, if it comes down to the Final Four, No. 22 (Logano) has probably got a leg up there,” he said. “But, again, I’m just trying to advance.
“I didn’t know if I was running from the 10th to the 25th. Listening to the radio the whole time and crickets. Nobody said anything. Nobody told me anything.”
Hamlin navigated through the mayhem to secure his spot in the Round of 8, alongside Logano, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott. The Cup Series now heads to Las Vegas for the South Point 400, as NASCAR gears up for another dramatic battle for its ultimate championship.