Kevin Harvick found himself in the spotlight after a heated exchange with fellow driver Denny Hamlin. The semi-retired driver has defended his criticisms of Hamlin.
The tension began when Denny Hamlin lamented his performance at the Kansas race, where he finished eighth. Hamlin bluntly commented:
"We should have won the race. We had the fastest car, but every time we get to the top three the caution comes out and we restart 15th, 20th. Can't show how fast your car is when you're back of the pack.
"All you can do is just keep making positions back up to the front over and over and over and eventually you just run out of laps and someone else wins.
"I'm not in it mentally, I can tell you that. There's a lot of wires crossed and bolts loose at the moment. But what can you do? I'll just do the best I can to drive the car and do my part."
This confession prompted Harvick to respond vehemently during his ‘Harvick Happy Hour’ podcast. Harvick took issue with Hamlin's decision to vocalize his mental state. He explained at the time:
"I give up. Why in the world would you say that? Why in the world would you get out of the car and say that? Part of what you do as a race car driver is you have to be a poker player.
"When you have that driver's suit on, you have to play the game and you can't open your mouth to put yourself in positions to be in a worse spot than you already are.
"Even if you think it, don't say that. It just blows me away that you would say that you're not mentally into it after the race and just say... I just couldn't imagine ever saying that. Never point the finger at something like that even if you're not mentally into it."
Hamlin then responded by drawing a parallel to Harvick's 2016 critique of his own pit crew, a comparison Harvick was quick to dismiss. Harvick clarified that his comments were purely about the mental aspect, not the performance of Hamlin's crew. On the latest episode of ‘Harvick Happy Hour’, he explained:
"Whatever it was, the dunk hit the rim and the ball's at half-court because listen here, bud. We had nothing to do talking about your pit crew or anything like that.
"We were talking about your comments and being mentally focused. I love you, man, I love the way you drive the race car. I don't like the things you said after the race, and that's my job. I'm sorry.
"I don't like the comments about the mental weakness. Had nothing to do with your pit crew. I appreciate the attempt to divert the comment in a different direction, but you said it. I didn't."
