Overview

• On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin said he would not apologize for the final-lap contact and emphasized he races as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver on Sundays rather than as a 23XI co-owner.
• He described the move as a misjudgment rather than intentional contact, citing braking data and saying he would have backed out earlier with hindsight.
• The late contact pushed Bubba Wallace from the lead to fifth as Chase Elliott took the win, while Hamlin finished second despite power steering trouble.
• Playoff math tightened: reports place Hamlin 48 points above the cut line and Wallace 26 points below entering the Charlotte ROVAL in a near must-win position.
• Veteran voices weighed in, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. calling the move aggressive but complicated by Hamlin’s ownership role, and Kevin Harvick arguing an unwritten expectation that one of the linked drivers should close out the win.