Logano says Hamlin cost him win shot in Bristol Sprint Cup race
Joey Logano says his angry confrontation with Denny Hamlin was born from a conviction that he could have triumphed in Bristol's NASCAR Sprint Cup race before their on-track clash
The pair, who were teammates at Joe Gibbs from 2008 to 2012, were fighting for second place when Hamlin made contact with Logano on lap 347, sending the latter into the wall.
Logano eventually came home 17th, while Hamlin - who was able to continue without damage - suffered a late tyre failure that dropped him to 23rd.
After the race Logano confronted Hamlin while he was still in his car, leading to a small scuffle between the respective Penske and Joe Gibbs camps.
"It's Bristol but it's ridiculous," Logano told Fox.
"I had a really fast Ford and I felt like it was capable to win the race.
"I'm proud of the guys for giving me a car like that, [but] it's unfortunate.
"[I'm] getting frustrated - I feel like I race him clean all the time and he's going to do that.
"I understand the way he races now that he is not my teammate and I will race him the same way he races me."
Hamlin insisted Logano was culpable for the incident, but did admit contact had been intentional.
"You really got to control your car and he slipped up in to me," Hamlin explained.
"Really, he would have been in the garage with no radiator in it if I had not checked up twice.
"I meant to run in to him. I didn't mean to spin him out, but he still had a bad day anyway for whatever reason.
"We finished bad and he finished bad. It's even."
Hamlin said he was not worried about any possible retaliation from Logano, adding: "He said he was coming for me. I usually don't see him, so it's usually not a factor."
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About this article
| Series | NASCAR |
| Drivers | Denny Hamlin |
| Author | Sam Tremayne |
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