Denny Hamlin on Brad Keselowski: ‘It’s tough to win a championship if nobody likes you’

As if it wasn’t obvious enough by the pair of heated confrontations in recent weeks, Brad Keselowski isn’t the most popular driver in the NASCAR garage. However, according to Denny Hamlin it isn’t just Keselowski’s aggressive style on the track that has irked his rivals, but the “lack of remorse” afterward.

“As drivers, you’re just looking at someone to say, ‘I’m sorry I ruined your day, I screwed up. I apologize,‘” Hamlin said during a media teleconference Tuesday. “When that doesn’t get said, then immediately it just lights a fire in your stomach that he doesn’t have any remorse. It’s just like, ‘Oh, well, it’s your problem.’

“I think that that really set things off.”

Hamlin is among the many drivers who’ve taken exception with Keselowski lately. Last month Hamlin tried confronting Keselowski following the Oct. 11 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That was the same race where Hamlin’s teammate, Matt Kenseth, attacked Keselowski in the garage in an alley between two haulers.

The most recent incident involving Keselowski came Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. While trying to attempt a brazen three-wide pass for the lead with two laps to go, Keselowski made contact with Jeff Gordon, who suffered a flat tire and spun. Keselowski finished third, Gordon fell to 29th.

An upset Gordon parked alongside Keselowski on pit road post-race then walked over to voice his displeasure, setting off a brawl between their respective teams. As Gordon was talking, Keselowski tried walking away before being shoved back toward Gordon by Kevin Harvick.

It was Keselowski’s apparent disrespect by not listening that irked Gordon.

“I think if Brad would have talked to Jeff and said, ‘I was going for a hole. It was my only chance, you know. I’m really sorry it cut your tire,‘ I think it goes totally different,” Hamlin said. “Instead, it was, ‘Oh, well, sorry, bud, you left a hole.’ If he did it to me I would have had the same reaction as Jeff. No question. I think that’s what escalated it the most.”

Hamlin doesn’t think Keselowski needs to necessarily apologize sincerely, but should offer empathy if his actions come at the expense of a competitor. At the very least, hear someone out if they have a grudge.

“Even if you don’t mean it, just give the guy 30-seconds of your time to hear what he’s got to say and have some dialogue,” Hamlin said. “To blow someone off and think that the world revolves around you just escalate that person’s feelings against you times 10.”

Keselowski adamantly defended his behavior Sunday night by pointing out he was racing for the win and attempted a pass many would have tried under similar circumstances (a victory would guarantee advancement to the championship finale Nov. 16). And Keselowski has repeatedly said he’s unconcerned if his driving style offends others, as long as he has the backing of his team.

That support from Team Penske seems unwavering. Team owner Roger Penske strongly defended Keselowski following the race at Charlotte, saying a lot of the hostility directed toward his driver is a result of jealously. (Hamlin denied the accusation.) Penske also issued a statement Monday in defense of Keselowski.

“Brad Keselowski is a champion who competes to win in every race, which is what I expect of him,” Penske said. “While the actions by others following the race in Texas were unfortunate, Brad has my 100-percent support.”

But the viewpoint of winning at all costs is something Hamlin takes exception with, rationalizing a championship isn’t worth the price if it means no respect within the garage. (Keselowski is the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, Hamlin has yet to win a championship.)

“If you ask me, ‘Do you want a championship trophy or do you want the respect of your peers?’ I will take the respect from my peers because that trophy they can’t put in my casket,” Hamlin said. “What’s the fun of a NASCAR party that nobody shows up to?”

Hamlin and Keselowski are among the eight drivers remaining in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with one race left before the four-driver field is set for the championship finale. Due to the animosity that has built up recently, Hamlin feels Keselowski is going to be hard-pressed to win a second series title.

“It’s tough to win a championship if nobody likes you,” Hamlin said. “That is going to be a very, very tough task. You always have to just watch your mirror, and that’s a tough way to race. It really is a tough way to race.

“This is typically where the point of the season where people get back at each other when they feel like they’ve been done wrong.”