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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
ALL-STAR: Hamlin, Busch Sort Out Differences
Teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch weren't seeing eye-to-eye on their battle for the lead in the All-Star Race...
Jared Turner  |  Posted May 23, 2010   Charlotte, NC
Kyle Busch makes contact with the wall at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the NASCAR Sprint All Star Race. (Photo: Getty Images)
Kyle Busch blamed Denny Hamlin for costing him a shot at victory in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

LINK>Unofficial Race Results: Sprint All- Star Race - CHARLOTTE

Hamlin, who finished fourth, later admitted to blocking his teammate. But he made no apologies for crowding Busch high on the track as the No. 18 Toyota tried to pull to his outside off Turn 2 in the decisive 10-lap segment.

Busch, who was attempting to pass Hamlin for the lead, ran out of room and smacked the wall, resulting in a rapid spiral through the field that culminated in a blown right-front tire and crash that collected Kasey Kahne two laps from the finish.

Hamlin had to settle for fourth after falling into the clutches of race winner Kurt Busch, runnerup Martin Truex Jr. and JGR's Joey Logano in the final laps.

It was his battle with Busch, however, that left the masses talking – especially after Busch lashed out against Hamlin over his in-car radio, and later stormed into Hamlin’s No. 11 hauler after crashing out the race.

“Kyle had a run to the outside and with me moving up and getting real tight, it then took some air away from the front of his car and he slid up into the wall. It’s tough for me,” Hamlin said. “We talked about it and basically Kyle was just frustrated; he felt like he had a really good car. Me, I just came from the back with no practice and got back to the front where we needed to be and I felt like if I gave up the lead right there then I was going to give up the win.

“I don’t think Kyle would do anything different if he was in my situation. It’s just when you’re the leader, my feeling is that you’ve got the whole race track. If a guy is to the outside. then that’s when you need to hold your line.”
Teammates Kyle Busch (Left) and Denny Hamlin (Right) have both been strong in 2010. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Busch obviously had a different view of the situation, saying on his radio moments after his brush with Hamlin that “somebody better keep me from Denny Hamlin after this race. I had this race won. It was won.”

Told of Busch’s comments, Hamlin demurred.

“That’s Kyle in the moment and he’s said worse things about me for sure at other times,” Hamlin said. “I told him my job as the leader is to do everything I can to win that race. This race in specific is a much different beast than what a points race is, and I think he understands that. From my standpoint, we’re going to drive each other different, no doubt about it.

“We’ve seen it in years past, guys suck each other around, guys running each other up the race track, but I felt like if Kyle had position on the outside, then I definitely should have given him the lane. I just basically took the air off and like he said, he was just dumb and didn’t check up. It’s just one of those things."

The two teammates discussed the incident in a closed meeting after the race with team owner Joe Gibbs and team president J.D. Gibbs.

Hamlin believes the conversation was productive and that the two can put their differences behind them as the JGR organization prepares for next weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 back at Charlotte.

“For two guys to be wanting to go for the win like we are, that’s all we can ask for,” the Chesterfield, Va., native said. “Myself, I’m so confident that one of the two of us are going to win that 600 next weekend. It was a good meeting. Kyle was fiery at the beginning, but calmed right down at the end.

"I think it’s just kind of his personality, and me, I’m a little more reserved and kind of quiet about it. I think it’s just two teammates that happen to be teammates going for a race win right there.”

LINK>Unofficial Race Results: Sprint All- Star Race - CHARLOTTE

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