The feud between Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin that erupted this past weekend at Martinsville Speedway elicited a strong response from team owner Rick Hendrick on Tuesday.
Bowman made contact with Hamlin while battling for the lead with seven laps remaining in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 finale after his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet came loose approaching Turn 3. In an overtime finale, Hamlin spun out after colliding with Bowman, and the 48 cruised to their fourth victory of 2021. The incident nearly ended Hamlin’s title ambitions, but he was able to make the Championship 4 in the end.
In his post-race interview with NBC, Hamlin interrupted Bowman’s celebration on the front stretch and proceeded to blast him, saying “he’s just a hack. Just an absolute hack,” among other comments stemming from the frustration.
Hendrick was eager to defend his driver during the Championship 4 owners’ press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“Describe a hack. I don’t know what a hack is,” Hendrick said. “But you know, he’s won four races this year. Denny’s won two. I think Denny just lost it Sunday and, you know, Alex races everybody clean. He’s a good soldier, the sponsors love him, the crowd loves him. I think when you’re in the middle of a disappointment and you’re frustrated and mad, you might say things that you wouldn’t say normally. But if he’s a hack I’d like to have more of them.”
In Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the 72-year-old owner has two drivers competing for the championship: Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. Larson is making his first appearance in the Championship 4, while Elliott is defending his 2020 title.
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