Denny Hamlin shot down the theory that he and Ryan Blaney have an issue with each other. Despite two on-track incidents in the last two races between them, Hamlin was adamant there is no beef between he and Blaney.
Blaney won last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire, pacing the field for a race-high 115 of 301 laps.
Hamlin, meanwhile, earned a seventh-place finish and secured the regular-season championship, meaning he will be the top seed when The Chase begins next week at Darlington.
Hamlin on run-ins with Blaney: ‘Coincidental’
On the most recent episode of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Hamlin was asked point-blank if there is any “beef” brewing between himself and Blaney. The driver of the No. 11 was quick to shut down the idea.
“No, no. Coincidental,” Hamlin said.
The on-track incident stemmed from a poor pit stop by Blaney’s No. 12 team that set him back to begin the final stage at New Hampshire. After winning stage two, the Team Penske driver dropped 13 positions after his crew needed to tighten the left front wheel.
As Blaney attempted to charge back through the field, he ran into the path of Hamlin and attempted to bump the 45-year-old out of the way. Under a subsequent caution, Blaney expressed frustration, saying, “Did he forget he ran me over last week?”
One race prior to New Hampshire, Hamlin made contact with Blaney while attempting to pass for position in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Hamlin understood Blaney’s frustration after getting mired back in traffic, but questioned why he did not opt to go to another groove and try to pass him.
“He’s frustrated because his pit crew put him back to where we were at and he feels like he doesn’t have any time to screw around. … My question to Ryan would be, I’m a car length in front. Sure, I’m running the lane you would prefer to run in, but just go to a different lane. There’s like four lanes of track to the outside. Just go around,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin also acknowledged he was running in the groove where Blaney was strongest, thus putting pressure on the 2023 Cup Series champion to make a pass.
“His strength was in the very bottom lane where nobody else was at. It’s where I was able to be pretty good on some restarts and he just wanted to get me out of the way as quick as possible because I think he understood the urgency of getting back to the front and restarts was when he was going to make the most hay,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin predicted Blaney’s late-race strategy call
Under a caution period on lap 227 of 301, Blaney regained the lead after taking two tires and being the first driver off pit road. The strategy call would pay off as Blaney captured his third win of the 2026 season and second straight victory at New Hampshire.
As Hamlin watched from afar, he expected Blaney to either take two tires or stay out in order to gain his spots back. It is Blaney’s MO, Hamlin said, to be able to be at a disadvantage on tires and still manage to salvage a win or a strong finish.
“I knew the whole time, I’m like, ‘12 is taking two [tires] or he’s staying out.’ That’s their way and they have enough speed that they can be at a tire deficit and still win the race,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin and Blaney currently rank first and second in the Cup Series standings, respectively. While Hamlin has already clinched the top seed for The Chase, Blaney will look to maintain a 44-point edge over third place Ty Gibbs this Saturday at Daytona to claim the second seed.
Denny Hamlin Downplays Potential Feud With Ryan Blaney