NASCAR races often see incidents that fade quickly as days pass, but some linger until drivers talk them out face-to-face. Bubba Wallace called the past few days “a somber week” after the Kansas Speedway drama, where he ran second on the final lap, desperate for a win to secure his Round of 8 spot. But Denny Hamlin’s bump sent him too deep in the track, dropping him to fifth and leaving him 26 points below the cutline at 10th in the playoffs. The sting deepened with Hamlin’s firm stance all week long.

Wallace, driving the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, needed that Kansas victory to advance for the first time in his career, but the contact opened the door for Chase Elliott’s overtime win. Hamlin, chasing his 60th Cup victory despite power steering woes, stood by his move as pure competition. But Wallace’s perspective on the handling behind the scenes added layers to the tension, as he sheds light on navigating such rifts in the garage.

Bubba Wallace opens up on Hamlin’s stance

Bubba Wallace finally broke his silence on the apology issue during a Saturday press conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway, revealing how Denny Hamlin’s refusal fueled ongoing frustration. “It was just the way it was kind of handled behind the scenes just kept going, kept adding fuel to the fire. And I hate that it got to that point,” Wallace said, pointing to Hamlin’s podcast where Hamlin declared, “I’m racing for the win, and I definitely won’t apologize for racing for the win.”

This came after their brief pit road exchange at Kansas on September 28, 2025, where Wallace felt things were left unresolved, creating a “dark cloud” over his preparation for the elimination race. The background traces to the Hollywood Casino 400’s final lap, where Toyota drivers dominated the top five on restart, but Hamlin’s aggressive dive into Turn 3 washed up the track, contacting Wallace and allowing Elliott to snatch the victory.

Wallace emphasized the unique dynamic of racing against a team co-owner, noting, “Yeah, you know, you kind of hit it right there on the head. And I expressed my displeasure in that with Denny today, and he totally respected it.” He explained, expressing his displeasure directly to Hamlin in a 30-minute heart-to-heart that morning, which shifted Hamlin’s view.

Hamlin, who believed the pit road handshake signaled all was fine, “If I’m being honest, I listened to his post-race, and it was just about two guys going for it, and he shook my hand. It was quick, but I didn’t know he was upset. But I should have checked with him to make sure,” Hamlin said, acknowledging he should have checked sooner.

This refusal stemmed from Hamlin’s belief in fair racing for personal milestones, like his elusive 60th win, amid playoff pressure, yet it left Wallace distracted and unfair to his crew as he fought to beat road course ace Shane van Gisbergen at the Roval.

The conversation ultimately lightened the mood, with Wallace adding, “So as much as I wanted to come in here and MF the guy, the competitor, Denny, the conversation went better than expected. And you feel lighter; like I said earlier, you feel lighter on your feet, but you can’t just say, ‘Okay, that’s over.'”

Substantiating this, Hamlin’s stance highlighted his no-regrets approach, justified by the high stakes, but Wallace’s maturity in addressing it head-on resolved the rift without forcing an apology. Their common ground came from shared respect as competitors, echoing Wallace’s estimate that most of the drivers saw the move as questionable, yet he respected Hamlin’s drive. This resolution, just before qualifying, where Tyler Reddick took pole, refocused both on Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400.

With the air cleared between Wallace and Hamlin, attention turns to how others in the garage viewed the clash. One champion weighed in when directly asked.

Logano sidesteps Hamlin clash drama

Joey Logano kept things neutral when Bubba Wallace pulled him into the Kansas controversy during a pre-race presser at the ROVAL. The three-time champion, sitting comfortably 13 points above the cutline after Kansas, responded to Wallace’s query about the move with, “I’m staying out of it, bud.”

This came as Wallace highlighted how the garage winced at Hamlin’s tactics, seeking Logano’s take amid the lingering buzz. Logano’s reluctance stemmed from his own playoff position, bolstered by the incident that prevented Wallace from winning and potentially dropping the No. 22 Ford below the bubble.

The background dates to Logano’s tough Kansas run on September 28, 2025, starting from the rear after a tire issue and wrecking to 21st, yet still holding a cushion. Had Wallace claimed victory, Logano would have fallen eight points short of advancing, making Hamlin’s contact an indirect lifeline.

Logano later acknowledged this post-race, crediting the scrap for altering outcomes in his favor. This gratitude reflected the fine line in playoffs, where one driver’s misfortune aids another, but Logano avoided deeper commentary to stay focused on his title defense.

Logano’s stance underscores the garage’s diplomatic navigation of such dramas, especially with Team Penske‘s emphasis on clean intra-team racing. His five-word dodge kept alliances intact, while substantiating the incident’s ripple effects—Elliott’s win locked him in, leaving Wallace, Reddick, Austin Cindric, and Ross Chastain needing miracles at Charlotte. As the field trims to eight, Logano’s neutrality highlights how personal takes can stir more tension in high-stakes rounds.