Racing star feared Danica Patrick was going to punch him in angry confrontation

Danica Patrick

Racing star feared Danica Patrick was going to punch him

Things got heated

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Thursday 13 August 2026 22:30 Updated: 08:00

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin has opened up on the time that he feared former rival and ex-Sky Sports F1 pundit Danica Patrick was going to punch him.

For those who don't know, long before her days on British television reporting on F1, Patrick had an incredible career in the States, racing extensively in both IndyCar and NASCAR.

Back in 2015, she was involved in the latter, racing at Stewart-Haas Racing (yes, that Haas) when she was involved in a very heated altercation with Hamlin at Daytona International Speedway.

After one of the qualifying races for the Daytona 500 that year, Patrick was furious with Hamlin after contact from his car caused her to spin and crash with three laps to go.

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Denny Hamlin on Danica Patrick confrontation

After stepping out of her car, Patrick walked over to Hamlin on pit road and grabbed his overalls with both hands before offloading a verbal rant.

"What are you doing? Seriously!" Patrick raged. "You did the same f*****g thing in practice; you did the same thing.

"You get on my left rear and it spins me out. You did the same thing."

At the time, Hamlin did his best to diffuse the situation, and now, looking back on it in an interview with The Athletic, he has revealed he was prepared for more than just words.

"The Danica thing - that was a serious moment when I saw her stomping toward me," recalled Hamlin.

"I knew I was in it. I didn’t know if she was going to hit me, but I knew I was going to have to be willing to take it. She was coming. She had the brigade right there.

"I met her halfway between her car and mine. I just remember thinking, “Tense up. Tense up, just in case she swings.”