Hard driving. We’ve discussed the topic here before and I’ve arrived at a conclusion on the matter: when someone I like plows into somebody else, it’s “a racin’ deal.” When someone I don’t like plow into somebody, he should get parked.
I’m amazed at how many new fans David Reutimann has this week. For my part, speaking as a fan, I really like Reutimann. It stinks that this incident with Hamlin at Pocono has put Beak’s chase hopes on life support. I like how we have a lot of new faces in the chase picture this year and I was hoping Reutimann would be able to take a top ten out of Pocono and get himself inside, if not closer to the top twelve.
Hamlin screwed up and he’s admitted it. He sniffed a win coming on the track where he’s performed his best, found somebody in his way, and at speeds approaching 200 miles per hour, he plowed a competitor. David Reutimann was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I don’t for five seconds buy the notion that Hamlin punted Reutimann to help Kyle Busch. Of all the “black helicopter” nonsense I’ve heard this year (in a season where we’ve had more than our share), that idea takes the cake! It could have been David Ragan ahead of him and he would have done the same thing.
While I certainly don’t think Hamlin had “cage rattling” on his mind, I think it takes more evidence than there is to work with to suggest beyond a doubt that Hamlin meant to wreck Reutimann. Was he impatient? Absolutely! Did he use bad judgment? Heck yeah. Should NASCAR penalize him? No.
The last time I checked, NASCAR didn’t have a penalty for screwing up. If that be the case, Reutimann might have received a penalty for what happened with Ryan Newman at Daytona back in February.
If your answer is different than mine, then tell me this: is your answer the same with the Tony Stewart- Kyle Busch incident at Daytona? How about Carl Edwards tagging Kyle Busch at Bristol last summer? Why should Hamlin be penalized and not Stewart or Edwards? This is no news flash here- this isn’t the first time one driver got moved by another for a win without penalty.
Now let me make myself clear on this in terms of resolving it. While I am not in favor of NASCAR penalizing Hamlin, I would have no problem with Reutimann returning the favor in some way, shape or form. Some funny stuff happens out there on the track. There’ll be another day when the two are competing for a win.
We can’t have it both ways folks. If you want raw emotion and drivers fighting for a win, this is going to happen. If you don’t like it, then there’s a few guys who should be giving their trophies back.
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I totally agree with the statement “I would have no problem with Reutimann returning the favor in some way , shape or form”. What goes around comes around is what I will add to it.
The fact that Hamlin stayed in the gas while he was turning the 00 around deserves some sort of penalty. What? Who knows. NASCAR seems to pick and choose their penalties based on who does it. The 7 got parked for way less. You can’t possibly defend what Hamlin did. Emotions or not. Every other sport has a set of rules in place based on the infraction. Why not NASCAR? If Tiger hits the ball out of bounds, does the PGA Tour say, ” he was just trying really hard, so we won’t penalize him for that.” NASCAR controls everything else, why not rough driving too? They are slowly but very surely running off the fans that made them what they are.
You site the Stewart/Busch incident..that’s apples to oranges..well not even that more like apples to lug nuts. I guess that part that irks me is Hamlin not only hit Reutimann once..but came back and did it again..and “thought” Reutimann could “catch” it when he started swerving..and Hamlin stayed on the gas. But, alas, it’s behind us. I have no doubt were it any other driver in Hamlin’s way he would have done the same thing..it’s wrong..but he wanted to win. The last thing I believe, on Hamlin’s mind, was Kyle and his Chase chances..other then being teammates why would Hamlin want Busch to be in the Chase..a driver proven to win and ride at the front? (Have you paid attention to Gordon/Johnson/Martin when they are fighting for the lead???? Teammates be damned.) Yes..Reuty owes Hamlin one..and maybe not this week..Reutimann can’t afford the points..but Bristol is coming..and I think and hope if Reutimann can’t make up the points towards the Chase he certainly “takes back” the points he lost from Hamlin..and NASCAR stays out of it…
@Josie. I see it as being similar in this way: both were drivers gunning hard for wins, who both did something they may not have done otherwise- and in the process- did something they regretted later. I don’t buy the idea he meant to wreck Reutimann, but again, my point is NASCAR just needs to let this play out. My guess is if something happens, both will get called into the hauler, get put on probation to make sure htey leave each other alone for awhile and move on.
Hamlin has been driving ’stupid agressive’ this year. And by that I mean he has been booting drivers in spots where there is a real risk of injury. I don’t think a penalty is required. I wouldn’t be suprised if he finds out he has very few driving friends. Fewer and fewer drivers are going to give him a break. For example, earlier this year he was pushing Ambrose around a lot at Infineon. Ambrose had a few oppertunities to return the favor, but didn’t. And with his years of experiense in the Aussie supercar series he does know how to bump and run. I have a feeling if it happens this week at Watkins Glen Ambrose won’t be as nice. But not just Ambrose or the MWR crew, but he has been shoving a lot of other drivers around this year. I think he is going to find some extra roadblocks during the chase. Payback time.
i agree with rick. nascar has a penalty for aggressive driving, which is why stremme was parked. if hamlin’s punting of reut wasn’t aggressive, i’m not sure what is. i hope reut does return the favor, but i fear nascar will probably park him when he does. they don’t have a very good track record when it comes to calling penalties judiciously.
This is far from the first time Hamlin has done something like this. Simply put, the boy has a way better car than he is a Driver ! He is a disrespectful driver, much in the same vein as Kyle Shrub Busch, Juan Pablo Expletive, & Robby Gordon. No patience and no respect for his competitors. This incident is in NOW WAY similar to Stewart & Kyle Busch……this is simply another case of the 11 running over someone. 3 of Hamlins 5 Wins are at Pocono…..a challenging track and one of my favorites, but Hamlin is one-dimensional and over-rated. ( Pocono or a short-track or Hamlin can’t win )
Hope he misses the Chase
I blame NASCAR. They are not consistant with penalties, like someone else said, It depends on who’s doing the pushing. But think, if NASCAR parked everyone for bumping, they wouldn’t be anyone left on the track.
I just think that Reutimann should just return the favor to Hamlin.
Reutimann should dump Hamlin in each of the next 5 races. Knock Hamlin out of the Chase.
The same thing happens every time someone gets wrecked. If he is not your favorite driver then he sucks or he is not a good driver or whatever. If you do like the driver involved then you can come up with several reasons why it was ok. I will admit i am no different most of the time. If that would have been the #88 wrecking the #00 then you would be reading all over the place about all the reasons why it was ok. No one is going to have to worry about that though because it is becoming more and more apparent that he is the one that is just not that good. He is in the best cars there are and he still goes backwards every single weekend.
I would be very disappointed if Reutimann does not return the favor the next 5 races to Hamlin. Gibbs Racing appears to have become a mean spirited and nasty organization. Not enough spiritual influences in that group. Hope Fed Ex drivers are not taking too many driving and delivery lessons from Hamlin.
Oh my you all are a bunch of pima donna drama queens on here.
As a FAN of the 00 I was in no way shape or form happy about what transpired. THAT BEING SAID, the only thing that makes it easier to swallow is that Denny Hamlin is one of the FEW CLEAN drivers in this sport. It was extremely out of character for Denny and as a fan of Rooty I would hope my driver has the class to NOT pay back Denny, in fact I know Rooty wouldn’t do that. This is done, over with. I suggest all you drama queens get over it too.
And BTW, Rooty won’t knock Hamlin out of the chase, the kid has already secure his spot. I’m sick of the bias fans in this sport, this sport has to be the worst for it. Like someone else said, if it was YOUR driver who knocked someone out of the way you’d all be finding excuses for it.
I am not a Rooty fan.
I am Old School. One good turn deserves another.
If Hamlin finished 43rd for the next 5 races he would be out of the Chase.
If I was a driver that got put out of contention for the Chase by a driver I would do everything in my ability to make sure the person who ruined my Chase hopes got their Chase hopes ruined also.
@Jordan. I think you have articulated well what WILL happen. Reutimann has too much to lose and it’s not his style.
@jimmccoy22 – absolutely. thats a reason i’m a fan of Reutimann. He has made his share of mistakes out on the track as well. After this weekend it will be over with
@ pete – your a fool. if the 00 even so much as purposely bumps into 11 within the next few races Nascar will be on that so fast your head will spin. its one thing for hamlin to bump into the 00 in pocono but if rooty decides to get even with him nascar will not stand for that. and there will be major repercussions for my driver. and im sure hes well aware of that!
bottom line, this will be over with before the green flag flies on sunday. as i understand these 2 drivers are actually friends off the track and although i’m sure rooty wont be happy with him for awhile there will be no antics. mark my words
Whole lot o’ hooey up there in the comments! Denny is not a nice driver, plain and simple. If he’s got a faster car and you’re in his line, expect the chrome horn. Joe Gibbs has never censored ANYONE in his sports career, he asked his football players to run his plays, not to run by his morals. This is also true of his drivers. Stewart wasn’t an angel in the early years, and Kyle hasn’t used his halo in several months.
What Denny did was racing, if Rooty had the horsepower, it’d be the other way around. Rooty’ll get his shot, but I doubt he’ll use it. It ain’t his way. That doesn’t mean that that horn of Denny isn’t gonna blow on someone with a less ’sensible’ demeanor. Then the ‘issue’ of who pushed who will be another topic for the week.
Disclaimer, I’m a Denny fan. DR was up in the front of the pack not because he had a fast car, but because of pit strategy. Denny had the fastest car for most of the day and DR was holding him up. Denny bumped him a few times before but I guess DR wasn’t going to take a hint. I don’t think Denny wanted to wreck DR, just get him loosened up and out of the way.
There are probably a dozen other drivers who would have done the same thing to preserve a win. If you have a slow car and you are in the way of a driver going for the win, you need to get out of the way. Especially if you are points driving going for the chase.
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