Denny Hamlin Warned Over ‘Reckless’ Move as Kevin Harvick Fears ‘Championship Collapse’ Tensions rise in NASCAR playoffs as Kevin Harvick questions Denny Hamlin's bold on-track move, debating its impa

The sun was baking the asphalt at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when tension crept into the Joe Gibbs Racing garage late in Stage 2. Denny Hamlin, pushing hard for stage points, radioed in frustration: “Does Ty know we’re going for a championship? What the f–k?” followed by “Are they afraid to talk to him? That’s what I feel like. They’re scared of him.” The radio crackled louder when contact erupted in Turns 1 and 2 on Lap 110. After several laps of being blocked by Gibbs while also racing Christopher Bell, Hamin attempted a pass, and the No. 54 spun into the wall, ending Gibbs’ day. It set up a moment that Hamlin later described as “crazy unfortunate.”

In the aftermath, JGR’s competition director, Chris Gabehart, stepped into the eye of the storm, trying to steady both cars and con