Denny Hamlin might have finally found the time for his long-awaited payback against Ross Chastain.
The two drivers were racing for the lead with 18 laps to go in Sunday's M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway when Hamlin ran Chastain into the wall, causing the No. 1 car to crash and spin out. The wreck ended Chastain's bid for a third Cup Series win in 2022. Chastain's car was taken to the garage following the hit.
Hamlin went on to win the race. He afterward if it was payback.
"What'd you want me to do? What'd you expect me to do?" Hamlin told the USA Network broadcast. "We got position on him, and he just ran out of race track."
Denny Hamlin runs Ross Chastain up the racetrack and into the wall! #NASCAR
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 24, 2022
📺 : @USA_Network
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Chastain said he felt he had that hit coming to him given the drivers' history, but he wasn't sure the score had been settled.
NASCAR AT POCONO RESULTS: Hamlin sets record with 7th win at track
"I think that's something that has been owed to me for a few months now," Chastain told USA.
Chastain has been called out by several drivers this season for his driving and being involved in crashes.
During the Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway on June 5, Chastain hit Hamlin's rear bumper on Lap 65, causing Hamlin to hit the wall and severely damaging his car. Hamlin was several laps down for the rest of the race but continuously tried to interfere with Chastain any time he had the chance.
Hamlin said after the race that he wasn't going to try to get payback during that race, but would wait until later.
"You only want to pay back when it counts," Hamlin said, per The Athletic's Jeff Gluck. "It's going to have to be meaningful. It's going to be on a meaningful day."
Since then, Hamlin, as well as others, have voiced their frustrations with Chastain's continued wrecking. Hamlin said after the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta he had "reached my peak" with Chastain after the 1 car got into the 11 car late and caused damage.
Also during that race, Austin Dillon was taken out during a wreck that started when Chastain hit Martin Truex Jr.. That prompted Dillon to call himself "a casualty of Ross Chastain once again."