Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin were involved in a post-race altercation after Sunday’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
Logano confronted Hamlin about the duo making contact on track earlier in the race. After what appeared to be a civil conversation, things erupted when Logano slightly shoved Hamlin, who then went after the Team Penske driver.
From there crew members from both teams became involved and the incident escalated from there before NASCAR officials could separate everyone.
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“I was pretty frustrated,” Logano explained about the on track incident that saw Hamlin make contact with the No. 22 car sending it into the wall. “We probably weren’t going to beat the 19 (Martin Truex Jr.) but we had a top-five coming our way. I don’t really know what happened because once he hit me, he didn’t lift and finished me off.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have shoved him at the end, it escalated at the end there…He wasn’t really apologetic at all, it’s more frustrating when someone’s like that, isn’t it?”
Hamlin gave his side of the situation.
“We’re having a discussion, everything was civil, and like Joey does, he does a little push and then runs away,” he said. “That’s Joey. He’s scared. He asked if I wanted to go, I said yes, and then he runs away.”
Hamlin was asked if he planned to seek out Logano for further discussion.
“No, I don’t need to find him,” he said.
Neither driver was called to the NASCAR hauler however several crew members from both teams were.
Logano summed up the situation before leaving the track.
“Just the playoffs. Just happens, it’s part of it. Emotions run high,” he said.
