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Bench Warmer
The feud between Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski is not over.
Far from it.
The tension started at last weekend's Nationwide race at Dover, where Hamlin's day ended after contact with Keselowski caused him to crash. Hamlin confronted Keselowski after the race on pit road, and the two had to be separated after a brief scuffle.
Hamlin was critical of Keselowski again after Sprint Cup practice Friday, saying Keselowski never reached out to apologize for causing the accident.
"I still see it the same way," Hamlin said. "I still don't agree with him, and he hasn't called me to reach out to say he's sorry. So as far as I'm concerned, he needs to be worried whenever I'm around."
Keselowski, who was cavalier about his role in the accident in interviews following last Saturday's accident, had not changed his view after Hamlin's remarks at Kansas.
"I didn't know I was supposed to call him, I thought he was going to call me," he said. "It got crossed, huh? I guess it should get uncrossed. This is what makes racing awesome, otherwise it's just cars going in circles. You've got to have some human drama."
Keselowski also implied the disdain between the two drivers is long-simmering. They also had a confrontation following a Nationwide race at Charlotte last year.
"As for how I am going to race around him? No differently than I have raced around him before. He's another race car driver, and that's how I see him. I race him like he races me ... and the situation just evolved into what it is based on how he's raced me.
"Mentally, I'm tough enough that whatever words he has to say, it doesn't bother me, doesn't faze me."
Keselowski, a Nationwide regular who is moving to a full Cup ride next season for Penske Racing, qualified third for Sunday's race in a Hendrick Motorsports car. Hamlin, one of the 12 drivers racing for the Sprint Cup title, will start 22nd.
Hamlin doesn't want to bother with Keselowski with a title on the line, while Keselowski said he's not looking for enemies as he prepares to move into NASCAR's premier division.
"I don't wish to have any conflict in the garage," Keselowski said. "Nobody likes to have an open conflict out there, but to be honest, it was never really settled after Charlotte in my mind. As far as it being unsettled in my mind, I'm just going to take a page from the Jimmie Johnson book: Mental toughness is what wins races and wins championships."
Far from it.
The tension started at last weekend's Nationwide race at Dover, where Hamlin's day ended after contact with Keselowski caused him to crash. Hamlin confronted Keselowski after the race on pit road, and the two had to be separated after a brief scuffle.
Hamlin was critical of Keselowski again after Sprint Cup practice Friday, saying Keselowski never reached out to apologize for causing the accident.
"I still see it the same way," Hamlin said. "I still don't agree with him, and he hasn't called me to reach out to say he's sorry. So as far as I'm concerned, he needs to be worried whenever I'm around."
Keselowski, who was cavalier about his role in the accident in interviews following last Saturday's accident, had not changed his view after Hamlin's remarks at Kansas.
"I didn't know I was supposed to call him, I thought he was going to call me," he said. "It got crossed, huh? I guess it should get uncrossed. This is what makes racing awesome, otherwise it's just cars going in circles. You've got to have some human drama."
Keselowski also implied the disdain between the two drivers is long-simmering. They also had a confrontation following a Nationwide race at Charlotte last year.
"As for how I am going to race around him? No differently than I have raced around him before. He's another race car driver, and that's how I see him. I race him like he races me ... and the situation just evolved into what it is based on how he's raced me.
"Mentally, I'm tough enough that whatever words he has to say, it doesn't bother me, doesn't faze me."
Keselowski, a Nationwide regular who is moving to a full Cup ride next season for Penske Racing, qualified third for Sunday's race in a Hendrick Motorsports car. Hamlin, one of the 12 drivers racing for the Sprint Cup title, will start 22nd.
Hamlin doesn't want to bother with Keselowski with a title on the line, while Keselowski said he's not looking for enemies as he prepares to move into NASCAR's premier division.
"I don't wish to have any conflict in the garage," Keselowski said. "Nobody likes to have an open conflict out there, but to be honest, it was never really settled after Charlotte in my mind. As far as it being unsettled in my mind, I'm just going to take a page from the Jimmie Johnson book: Mental toughness is what wins races and wins championships."
