Denny Hamlin defends Riley Herbst's controversial last-lap move at Daytona

NASCAR Cup Series driver and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin defended the controversial last-lap move of 23XI driver Riley Herbst in Sunday's Daytona 500. 

After pushing his 23XI teammate in Tyler Reddick to the race lead as the leaders raced toward the checkered flag, Herbst pulled to the outside but was not clear of Brad Keselowski. Herbst forced Keselowski into the wall and triggered a multi-car crash as Reddick won the race. 

On Monday's episode of his podcast "Actions Detrimental," Hamlin defended his driver. 

Denny Hamlin defends controversial Riley Herbst move

"I think he would've been really, really close to winning the race," Hamlin said of Herbst. "Riley finds himself with the 9 on his hood pins. He's like, 'I don't want to push him.' The run he's got is so big, he's probably thinking, 'let me just go high real quick and have this three-wide finish at the line.'"