Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin had a heated exchange following the second Budweiser Duel Thursday at Daytona International Speedway.
What Danica Patrick said to Denny Hamlin after the two wrecked, again
An upset Danica Patrick grabbed Denny Hamlin following a Daytona 500 qualifying race Thursday after the pair were involved in a second wreck together in two days. Here’s what was said between the two drivers.
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Patrick was running eighth and in position to qualify for the Daytona 500 when her car broke loose and spun around. Hamlin was directly behind Patrick and video replays showed he never contacted the rear of Patrick’s Chevrolet. But Patrick was upset with Hamlin, feeling he took the air off her No. 10 machine.
Immediately after the race, Patrick stepped out of her car on pit road and walked directly over to Hamlin, grabbing him by the lapels. The two had the exchange listed below. Toward the end of their back-and-forth, Tony Stewart, Patrick’s car owner, joined the conversation.
This was second time the two have had an on-track run-in this week, with Hamlin drifting into Patrick during practice Wednesday. The contact caused her to crash, severely damaging her primary Daytona 500 car. Hamlin took full responsibility for the incident, which forced Patrick to a backup car for Thursday’s duel.
The conversation on pit row was recorded by SB Nation as it happened:
Patrick: “You did the same f***ing thing in practice and this happened. You did the same thing.”
Hamlin: “I didn’t hit you. Honey, I did not touch you.”
Patrick: “You did the same thing.”
Hamlin: “I did not touch you.”
Patrick: “You get on my left-rear and it spins me out. You did the same thing.”
Hamlin: “You gotta tighten it up, Danica. Listen. Listen to me.”
Patrick: “Tighten what up? No one else do I have a problem with out there.”
Hamlin: “No one has your back like I have. Stop! Listen to me. I gave you an extra two feet...”
Patrick: “You gave me nothing. It spun my backend around.”
Hamlin: “I understand, but it’s because you’re loose. It’s not my fault if you’re loose, Danica.”
Patrick: “No one else did it to me.”
Hamlin: “No one else is getting close to you. But, we have to get close to you to get you going forward. To get you going forward, I have to get close to you. I know it got you loose, but I didn’t hit you.”
Patrick: “You spun me out just like in practice.”
Hamlin: “I understand.”
Patrick: “When I looked in my rearview mirror and you were right here (gesturing with hands where Hamlin was positioned). You weren’t here, you were here.”
Hamlin: “Absolutely. You were loose entering the corner so you went up the race track...”
Patrick: “Denny. ... It happened twice. The same person, the same way.”
Hamlin: “Guess what? I didn’t hit you either time.”
Patrick: “Well then you apparently don’t have to actually hit me. I like you Denny, you’re my friend. I don’t understand.”
Hamlin: “I know. I get it. But does that mean, ‘Oh my god, she’s loose I can’t run next to her?’ What should I do?”
Patrick: “It just means don’t be up my ass on my left corner in (a corner).”
Hamlin: “So don’t get close to you with three laps to go?”
Patrick: “You did it on the straightaway (during Wednesday practice) and you did it in a corner that time. Both times and the exact same result.”
Hamlin: “I just won’t get close to you. I understand now.”
Patrick: “You can get close. I’m sure everybody gets close. But you don’t need to turn me. That’s what it did.”
Hamlin (heavy sigh): “I know it did.”
Patrick: “All it did was get my backend tight and then it went around.”
Hamlin: “I totally get it, but it’s something you’ll have to work on.”
Patrick: “Are you doing it with every other car?”
Hamlin: “I pushed the 78 (Martin Truex Jr.) through the corner.”
Stewart (interjecting): “That’s two this week, bud.”
Hamlin: “Tony, I never touched her. I never touched her. What do you want me to do, not run close?”
Stewart: “You need to watch the video of it.”
Hamlin: “Do you not want me to run close? I mean come on, man.”
Patrick: “You don’t need to get so close it turns me.”
Hamlin: “I’m friends with you and her. Stop this shit, man.”
Patrick: “I like you, I just don’t understand.”
Stewart: “That ain’t going to fly when you’re crashing.”
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Denny tweeted about the incident later:
On the streets of real life cops always give the ticket to the car behind in a accident. We will use that logic on this one.#tooclose #mybad
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 20, 2015 Folks I watched it back and was in the drivers seat so I know.. I did NOT hit her. BUT I was close, too close obviously.
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 20, 2015 See More:
