Denny Hamlin reveals initial reaction to being wrecked by Austin Dillon at Richmond

Denny Hamlin had a whirlwind Sunday at Richmond Raceway, but his evening came to a shocking conclusion when he was wrecked for the win by Austin Dillon during the Cook Out 400.

Coming to the checkered flag, Dillon took out Joey Logano exiting Turn 4, but then he decided to continue the carnage, hooking Hamlin into the wall for the win. On the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin elaborated on his initial reaction to being wrecked, and missing out on the season sweep of Richmond.

“My initial reaction is that he must have ricocheted off the No. 22 into me,” Hamlin explained . “Like, I didn’t — I had no idea, it was just like, a deliberate, ‘I’m going left,’ you know? ‘Oh, you’re gonna win. No, you’re not.’ Like, I didn’t know it was that until I watched it, you know, because I can’t see it.

“Because all I see is literally the checkered flag straight ahead, clear racetrack, and you know, when you get right reared, trust me, I have enough experience at this now, you never really see it coming.”

As for his reaction to the matter, Hamlin believes it’s not as cut and dry as many think, and that you have to examine the situation from multiple different viewpoints to find some answers.

“You’d have to break it down in parts, because it has so many different layers,” Hamlin added . “It’s, you know, how do I feel about the ethics of which the No. 3 car chose in that moment? The format that kind of, you know, lends itself to this kind of, these kind of acts? What do we do in the future with like — which part, you know, because there’s so many different layers to it that, you know, all of it needs to be addressed.”

In the end, NASCAR certainly took issue with Dillon’s move, as the No. 3 wheelman now cannot use his win to qualify for the playoffs after right rear hooking Hamlin on the final lap as the two approached the start-finish line.

In addition to a points penalty as well, Dillon’s spotter, Brandon Benesch, was also suspended for three races after yelling ‘Wreck him!’ over the team radio in the final turn of the race.

While the moment might’ve been exciting, Denny Hamlin and many fellow NASCAR drivers, fans and media members called for punishment, and that’s what they received from the governing body. Austin Dillon certainly isn’t happy about it though.

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