Tailgating: NASCAR is a daily blog that features races and events of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The blog aims to give readers easy access to comprehensive NASCAR news.
“All of a sudden [Hamlin] just stops on the exit of four in front of 42 cars and I guess expects all of us to drive around him. I don’t know. It’s torn up two really good race cars. He’s a young guy and he wants to be successful, but I don’t know if he knows the definition of ‘team’ right now.”
--Tony Stewart on Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, speaking to reporters after the Pepsi 400 NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway. Fourteen laps into the race Hamlin was leading the pack and Stewart was second, until Stewart bumped Hamlin from behind, sending him to the wall and both drivers to the garages. Also caught up in the wreck, and stripped of a chance to win one of the NASCAR Nextel Cup series big races, were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Reed Sorenson and Bobby Labonte. Stewart also said that Hamlin almost wrecked him in practice earlier in the weekend. Told that Stewart had fingered him, Hamlin shrugged and said he would be the “bigger man” and accept the blame.