Denny Hamlin admits regret of handling of 23XI disaster

Denny Hamlin has admitted that he misjudged the situation between himself and Bubba Wallace after last weekend's dramatic finish at Kansas.

The pair were fighting for the win in the final corners of the playoff Round of 12 race when Hamlin, whose power steering failed earlier in the race, washed up into the side of the 23XI Racing car he part-owns and took them both out of contention for the victory.

That win would've put Wallace – well below the cut line for the next round on points alone – into the Round of 8, and he wasn't shy about his frustration with the situation in the immediate aftermath.

The pair, it transpired, didn't speak about the incident until this Saturday at Charlotte with Hamlin admitting that the gap in communications was down to a misjudgment on his part.

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin refuses to apologize for Bubba Wallace controversy

Hamlin 'didn't know' Wallace was upset by contact

Speaking on Saturday's qualifying day for the Cup Series, Hamlin confessed: “If I’m being honest, I listened to his post-race, and it was just about two guys going for it and he shook my hand. It was quick but I didn’t know he was upset. But I should have checked with him to make sure.”

The veteran racer also insisted that he wanted to speak to his driver face to face and, with the Joe Gibbs Racing team he drives for ramping up the intensity for the postseason, he doesn't attend as many 23XI competition meetings in person as he ideally would.

"It takes times, because I have a lot going on and I knew we would be at the same place at the same time, here."

Keeping the contents of their 15-minute conversation private, Hamlin said: “I listened. The biggest thing was listening and being a race car driver, what has made me successful is continuing to evolve and get better, so even as an adult, just trying to get better, whether it be on track or off track.

“So, I feel as thought it was important to me to listen and then give mine, and have that perspective for each other. It obviously went really well and I feel like we’re in a good place.”

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