Remember when Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson went head-to-head for the win at Pocono in 2023? Hamlin made an aggressive move with less than seven laps remaining, sending Larson into the wall before cruising to his 50th career Cup Series victory. The incident sparked plenty of debate, but Hamlin stood by his move.
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Fast-forward to Charlotte, and the two have another restart clash on their hands. And this time, the stakes are much higher. With Larson’s fans once again upset, Hamlin isn’t backing down again. He insists he had no reason to give his championship rival a break, and he’s perfectly fine with the backlash.
“Yeah, I made contact with him. But I mean, we’re definitely not at the point in the season where I’m looking to cut him a break here and there. I don’t have time for that. I certainly was not malicious about it, but I certainly wasn’t going to lift when the opportunity came that I could be now inside of them,” Hamlin defended his move on Larson on his Actions Detrimental podcast.
The incident happened on Lap 123 of the Bank of America 400, shortly after the field returned to green for Stage 2. Larson had dominated much of the afternoon, starting from the pole, leading the opening 45 laps and winning Stage 1. He continued to run near the front in the second segment, but Christopher Bell took the lead from him on Lap 107. Following a caution on Lap 117, the leaders pitted, and Hamlin gained two positions to restart fourth, with Larson running second behind Bell.
Hamlin saw an opportunity when the field went three-wide. He had pushed Larson down the frontstretch before attempting to move through the middle of the pack. According to Hamlin, he believed Larson was moving up and leaving the middle lane open. He committed to the gap, but soon, the two cars made contact. The No. 5 Chevrolet was sent up the track, dropping Larson from second to seventh. Hamlin had made his move, but it came at the expense of a driver who had been controlling much of the race.
Larson managed to limit the damage. He worked his way back through the field and finished Stage 2 in fourth, collecting valuable points despite losing track position. Bell won the stage, while Hamlin finished third. Larson remained competitive during the final run, but his car became increasingly loose as the track conditions changed. He eventually fell from fourth to sixth, ending his streak of five consecutive top-five finishes in the 2026 Chase. Hamlin finished fifth, while Chase Briscoe edged Bell by just 0.029 seconds to claim his second straight victory.
Larson, for his part, also accepted some responsibility for the contact. Rather than accusing Hamlin of deliberately forcing him out of the way, the Hendrick Motorsports driver admitted he had left an opening that his rival tried to exploit.
“No, I mean, I left the door open. So yeah, I kind of shaded a high thinking he might go high, and then he had a lot of turn to kind of fill that gap. And I just didn’t get it closed in time.”
The contact nevertheless became one of the race’s biggest talking points. Larson’s supporters were unhappy with Hamlin’s aggressive approach, particularly because the two are fighting for the championship. The championship standings explain why Hamlin is unwilling to back off.
Larson entered Charlotte with a 40-point advantage over Hamlin and left with that margin extended to 49 points. After six of the 10 Chase races, Larson now has 2,367 points, compared with Hamlin’s 2,318. Plus, Hamlin now has other contenders to worry about too. Christopher Bell is now just two points behind Hamlin, while Briscoe now sits 16 points behind second place after his second consecutive win. Four races remain, leaving little room for Hamlin to waste opportunities or lose ground to Larson or the other drivers.
Hamlin had hoped to close the gap during the stretch of intermediate-track races, but Charlotte did not go to plan. He also lost valuable ground early after a pit-road safety violation forced him to restart from the rear. Instead of gaining on Larson, he watched the points deficit grow.
The remaining schedule gives Hamlin reason to remain optimistic despite the growing points deficit. Martinsville has been one of his strongest tracks, where he owns six career Cup Series victories. He also has a solid record of three wins at Homestead-Miami, giving him two venues where his experience could help him challenge Larson.
However, the road to the finale begins at Phoenix before moving to Talladega, where unpredictable pack racing can quickly shake up the standings. Plus, there are the ghosts of last-year’s heartbreak to deal with at Phoenix. Hamlin has two career victories at Talladega, but its volatility leaves little room for error. With four races left, he needs consistent finishes and valuable stage points to close the 49-point gap.
His track record offers opportunities, but he cannot afford another weekend where Larson extends his advantage. The pressure is mounting, and Hamlin’s refusal to give Larson extra room reflects just how much is at stake in this championship fight.