NASCAR CUP SERIES: COOK OUT 400

August 11, 2024

Denny Hamlin

Pit Lane Interview

Q. Denny, the move by Austin Dillon, I'm sure you understand his position, his season, but what did you think about his move on the 22, then him hitting you as well? Fair or foul, Denny?

DENNY HAMLIN: Well, it's obviously foul. It's fair in NASCAR. We're just a different league, right? There is no penalties for rough driving or anything like that. It opens up the opportunity for Austin to be able to just do whatever he wants.

The problem I had, I got hooked in the right rear again. I'm just minding my business. He turned left and hooked me in the right rear. Blew my damn shoulder out.

I don't know. I mean, the record book won't care, right, about what happened. He's going to be credited with the win.

Obviously he's just not going to go far 'cause you got to pay your dues back on stuff like that. But it's worth it because they jump 20 positions in points. So I understand all that. There's no ill will there. I get it.

I just hate I was part of it. It would have been fun if I was not one of the two guys that got taken out in the last corner.

But I understand it. Doesn't mean I have to agree with it. We'll talk about it tomorrow.

Q. For a brief moment, the seas parted for you. We're hearing you now are going to be scored in second place. As someone who is a spokesman for the sport, do you feel like a line was crossed tonight and maybe that was too far?

DENNY HAMLIN: Oh, absolutely a line was crossed, but it's an invisible line. It's not defined. I mean, they have rules and provisions for stuff like this, but they never take action for it.

What happens is you see young guys coming up in the short track ranks seeing that, and they think it's fine. That's why we see some of the lower series turn out the way they do in these green-white-checkered situations because some of the best that they're seeing on Sunday do stuff like that.

I mean, who am I to throw stones in a glass house? But I certainly never won one that way.