Denny Hamlin refuses to apologize for racing Bubba Wallace hard at Kansas: 'On Sunday, I am the driver'

Denny Hamlin is the co-owner of 23XI Racing. But when he gets inside the No. 11 Toyota on Sundays, he’s the driver for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Hamlin made that very clear on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast when discussing how he raced 23XI driver Bubba Wallace in Sunday’s Round of 12 race at Kansas Speedway. Hamlin got a run down the backstretch on the final lap of overtime, getting even with Wallace for the lead heading into Turn 3. Hamlin washed up the track, and Wallace brushed the wall. That allowed Chase Elliott to race by on the bottom and take the checkered flag.

You might feel as if Hamlin owes Wallace an apology. Hamlin feels differently.

“If they’re wanting an apology, they can turn off now,” Hamlin said.

Why isn’t that apology coming? It’s simple for Hamlin — he “won’t apologize for racing for the win.”

Denny Hamlin defends controversial move at Kansas

“Because I’m racing for the win, and I definitely won’t apologize for racing for the win,” Hamlin said. “… On Sunday, I am the driver. The person in the 11 car is the driver. That’s where the disconnect I think comes from is that people expect me to be a different person, they expect me to be the guy with a 23XI shirt on when I’m in the 11 car, and that’s just not possible.

“I have zero doubts in my mind — I know because I know where my mind was in that moment — is that I was racing the 23 the exact same as I would race anybody in that moment. Truthfully, I would have raced my teammates the same way.”

This was especially painful for Wallace, -27 below the cutline entering the race. He finished fifth, but he only made up a single point in the playoff standings.

Wallace flipped Hamlin the middle finger after the race. He later called out his boss.

“To even have a shot at the win with the way we started… we were not good,” Wallace said. “I really appreciate the team. Two years ago, I would say something dumb, [Hamlin] is a dumbass for that move, for sure. I don’t care if he’s my boss or not. But we were going for the win.”