CONCORD, N.C. — Bubba Wallace experienced a somber week after failing to win last weekend's playoff race at Kansas Speedway, but he heads to the elimination race in a better place after a heart to heart with Denny Hamlin.
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The two drivers met on Saturday morning at Charlotte Motor Speedway to discuss a last-lap incident that put Wallace in the wall and knocked both of them out of contention for the Kansas win. Neither advanced to the Round of 8 while Chase Elliott capitalized and punched his ticket with a stunning win.
"I hate that it got to this point, the lingering effect, but Denny and I just talked 30 minutes ago," Wallace said on Saturday. "And it was a good heart to heart conversation, came from a place of peace, went better than I thought it would. And he shared his side of things and I shared mine and we had common ground."
This conversation didn't actually proceed how Hamlin expected. Wallace made it clear at the very beginning that he wasn't mad about being put in the fence. Instead, part of his anger stemmed from something much bigger.
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"I don't fault Denny Hamlin for racing for the win, racing for his team and his sponsors," Wallace added. "That's one when — I get the question a lot. 'What's it like racing Denny on the racetrack?' No offense to them, but I could give two s***** because he's competitor and he has labeled it that way.
"And so that was two competitors going for a win. And so as much as it didn't work out, I have to respect that. I think Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) said it, I have every right to be pissed off about it. Right? My biggest thing was, is that Toyota didn't win. And before I left my motor home after the race, I texted Toyota reps, apologizing that we didn't win."
Hamlin said that he didn't actually know that Wallace had lingering frustration with him. He noted that Wallace shook his hand after the race. He also didn't hear anything in the post-race interview that really showed anger.
Still, he indicated that he entered Saturday morning's meeting with an open mind.
Said Hamlin, "The biggest thing is just listening. Just like being a race car driver, I think what's made me successful is continuing to evolve and trying to get better. And I think that even as an adult, you got to continue to try and get better whether it be on track or off track.
"So I feel as though it was important for me to kind of listen to his perspective and also give mine. And we had that respect for each other, and I think that obviously went very well and I feel like we're in a good place."
While Hamlin and Wallace had this heart to heart, that doesn't mean that it took place without some disagreements. The 23XI Racing driver acknowledged on Saturday that Hamlin's comments about "not apologizing" added some fuel to the fire and put a dark cloud over his head.
Ultimately, however, the two drivers still came to a better understanding despite having different opinions about this late race incident.
"I hate that it got to that point," Wallace said. "And I expressed my displeasure in that with Denny today, and he totally respected it. 'Cause I'm a guy that if we have confrontation and it's not settled, like it's lingering. And then now like I'm in this spot to where I'm 25, 26 points out.
"I expressed to him, that what you need from your driver is to be at 110% focused on what to do, how to execute, and how to go out there and beat SVG (Shane van Gisbergen). I had a dark cloud over my mind all week long. Man, it's not fair to my team. I expressed that, he totally understood that, and frankly the conversation allows him to see things from a different perspective."
The two drivers are in a much better place after their heart to heart, but work still remains. They have to each try to advance to the Round of 8 during the Roval elimination race.
This could be easier for Hamlin, who enters the playoff race 48 points above the cutline. It's far more difficult for Wallace, who sits 26 points below the cutline. He either needs a win or for calamity to hit multiple other drivers in the field.
