California… Don’t the commercials for tourism show a kind of laid back attitude…?
Not at Fontana on race weekend!
Racing was on the level for the bulk of it. Commentary during the race brought out some of the Twitter tension from Bristol as Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano raced close ar points earlier. That all came to a head in the final laps as the two were up front and trading spots. Hamlin went on the outside and got around. Logano went low. Side by side. Logano’s tires were not as fresh. The #22 got loose on the side draft, touched the #11, and put Logano back against the wall and Hamlin shot towards the infield wall. The jolt shook the #11 into the air and around. Denny Hamlin was out of the car afterward without assistance but was immediately place in medical care for back pain.
The latest news from Joe Gibbs Racing is that Hamlin is still in the hospital, alert and being checked further for back issues.
Logano was able to cross the line with a rear damaged #22 for third behind Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Was the wreck a follow up to the tensions that ran through Bristol or a result of two drivers pushing for the win?
Well………….. Maybe.
Yes, the win was on the line and the race was down to the last lap. Hamlin appeared to give plenty of room for both. Logano’s older tires weren’t as steady. The side draft and the older tires likely combined to set him loose. The racing might not have been so contentious if not for the earlier confrontations. Logano, post race, may not have been aware of Hamlin’s hard hit and did not seem to be apologetic for the contact. It was racing for the spot.
“Would the racing be different if it weren’t for last week? Most likely,” stated Logano. “But that’s racing. Stuff does carry over.”
Logano, however, had little time to notice the condition of Hamlin and the #11 as Tony Stewart popped into the scene with a flared temper and raised fists. Stewart seemed upset about something…
On the final restart, Logano nosed down in front of Stewart’s #14 Chevy, putting both down on the apron. Stewart was openly holding Logano accountable for blocking the #14 but also driving him down to an untenable position on the track, forcing the #14 to brake back, lose many spots while getting loose and almost causing another spin in the front. Stewart felt it was not good racing, not a decent move and perhaps, amateurish in execution. All of the above or heat of the moment or whatever… Stewart was hot and held no words in the post race.
“He is a tough guy on pit road as soon as one of his crew guys gets in the middle of it,… Until then he’s a scared little kid. Then he wants to sit there and throw a water bottle at me. He is going to learn a lesson.”
“He’s run his mouth long enough… He has sat there and did this double standard and he’s nothing but a little rich kid that has never had to work in his life. He’s going to learn with us working guys that had to work our way up how it works.”
Stewart has been in that spot of blocking those behind. Stewart has wrecked a few behind him making that move. However, none of that was apparently on his mind when speaking of Logano. It would seem there is a nuance of when, and how, to make that kind of move. Logano maintained he did what any driver would do to hold position. Stewart maintained Logano was too reckless…
Two weeks to Martinsville. The Easter break may settle nerves over colored eggs and chocolate bunnies.
We doubt it. Martinsville puts racing up close, wheel to wheel, and very personal. Tempers flare simply from the banging at Martinsville. Any previous tensions that could carry over only serve as appetizers and multipliers.
Beyond Hamlin, Logano and Stewart, Kyle Busch doubled the wins in California. He won the Nationwide race on Saturday and crossed the checkers in the first spot for the Auto Club 400. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., taking second, has moved to the top of the Sprint Cup points.
The win and points moves remain a side note on the tensions created from Bristol to California. Denny Hamlin recovering is an issue. With the Easter break, all things should fall back to pleasant, Sunday afternoon racing at Martinsville.
Ya think…?