Denny Hamlin ‘s jump-start during the overtime restart at NASCAR Cup Series Race in Richmond Raceway has been one of the hot topics over the week. Despite the velation the No:11 Camry driver wasn’t penalized. With drivers, pundits, and fans all calling out the jump-start, Hamlin’s crew chief Chris Gabehart has recently defended the driver.
According to Gabehart, Denny Hamlin wasn’t the only driver who may have been not following the rules properly. He highlighted that Joey Logano and Martin Truex. Jr also tried to lay back from Hamlin to get a run on him during the restart. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has previously come up with the same defense after the win.
So let me be clear if you’re going to penalize the 11 car in that instance, you must also penalize the 19, the 22, and the 5. Because they were all laying back trying to time a run and that is also something that NASCAR says you can’t do. Chris Gabehart told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The crew chief spoke about how if Hamlin was penalized, so should have Truex Jr. and Logano. Gabehart also added how the restart was like a chess match between the four veteran drivers, making the entire situation more strategically intriguing.
Kyle Busch gives his take on Denny Hamlin’s jump-start at Richmond
Richard Childress Racing driver and former teammate of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch has recently released his thoughts on the driver’s jump-start at Richmond. The driver spoke about Hamlin’s intelligence and how it was a calculated decision on the Kelly Wallace show.
Denny is very smart, he was very calculated, he understands a lot of things very well and he's probably looking in his mirror and seeing this happening around him so he wants to go early to put those guys back on their heels. I believe that's what he did. Kyle Busch said.
The No:8 RCR driver also added how drivers behind Hamlin were trying to edge up to him, to obtain a speed advantage during the restart. The entire Hamlin jump-start controversy just seems to keep coming back into the minds of NASCAR drivers and fans even after a week.
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