Bubba Wallace's two-word message to Denny Hamlin as NASCAR stars' feud continues
Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace were involved in a heated battle for the lead in the closing laps of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday
Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace had a tense exchange after a heated race at Kansas Speedway, where emotions ran high between the two competitors.
Hamlin, a prominent figure at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and co-owner of 23XI Racing, was a dominant force throughout the race despite battling with power steering issues. The drama peaked during the final moments of the Hollywood Casino 400 when Wallace and Hamlin vied for the lead, only to have Chase Elliott swoop in and snatch the victory from both drivers.
Post-race, while Hamlin was amidst a media debrief, Wallace approached and delivered a succinct two-word message to his boss. The news comes as Denny Hamlin lays out lawsuit reality as NASCAR hits back at 23XI Racing.
Footage from various angles captured Wallace uttering his brief remark, as Hamlin seemed to attempt drawing his driver in for a hug. However, the 31 year old swiftly slipped from Hamlin's hold, exiting the scene before any full embrace could occur.
This interaction unfolded as Hamlin was reflecting on the race with reporters, lamenting a missed chance at his 60th career win.
According to NBC Sports, the JGR ace expressed his frustration: "Just super disappointing. I wanted it bad. It would have been 60 (wins) for me. The team just did an amazing job with the car, just really, really fast.", reports the Express US.
He continued, detailing the race's climax: "Gave me everything I needed. Got the restart I needed. Just couldn't finish it there on the last corner."
Reflecting on the intense race with Wallace, he shared: "Obviously got really, really tight with the 23, and it just got real tight and we let the 9 win. Yeah, just mechanical failures and different things have really hindered us in years past, and we had no power steering that last run.
"Low voltage. Just a lot of things and just couldn't -- just disappointing because I don't think I've ever had a car that good to the competition. Man, I wanted it for my dad. I wanted it for everybody. Just wanted it a little too hard."
Wallace expressed his feelings about the race's conclusion against his boss, saying, "You guys seen it," as reported by Dalton Hopkins. "It's unfortunate. I was excited to race Denny for the win. Hell, we ended up 5th and gave [Elliott] a win. That's what's frustrating the most. We couldn't get Toyota to victory lane.
"We've been working really hard to get our program back here at Kansas. We still got a lot of work to do. Played all of our cards right. Yeah, just wasn't meant to be."
Regarding a conversation with Hamlin about the finish, Wallace simply said: "Can't talk to him."
He continued: "I've always been big on how you race me is how I race you. No matter who you are, what it is, we race hard. We race hard every week. Toyota drivers race really hard every week. But we respect each other. And there's a fine line that sometimes gets crossed and you have to understand that.
"But we got one more race at the Roval. For me, it's a must-win there, right? But we're going to go and do what we did today. Fight hard and just make the most of it."