“You are not safe anymore”: Ryan Preece gives a reality check after Denny Hamlin’s critical Daytona 500 comments
Denny Hamlin narrowly missed a fourth Daytona 500 win after a late-race incident ended his chances. Following yet another controversial finish, he criticized the race’s unpredictability. RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece recently shared his thoughts on Hamlin’s comments, weighing in on the chaos and drama that often define The Great American Race.
Hamlin and Austin Cindric, battling for the win, led the field in overtime. Several drivers lost control as the pack surged forward, triggering a multi-car wreck. The chaos ultimately dashed Hamlin’s hopes of securing a fourth Daytona 500 victory and cementing his place among NASCAR’s all-time greats.
In a recent post on X by RFK Racing, Preece shared his thoughts regarding the peculiar way races finish at Daytona, and how track position is a key factor in navigating one's way through these wrecks.
"The wrecks used to happen in the fifth or six row. So I think guys like Denny or a few other ones that felt that when they got to those first two rows, they were safe like 'Hey, I'm gonna race hard because this is where I'm safe.' You are not safe anymore, you are not like if you're the leader or in second," Preece said.
"You are the guy that's taking the push and depending on who the pusher is if they're good at it or not You are at the mercy of them and then you know if they give a bad push and it just completely knocks you sideways Everyone behind them is like the bowling ball coming for the pins. You know what I mean?" he added.
Denny Hamlin, a seasoned NASCAR driver, drives the #11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. Over the years, he has built an impressive résumé with 74 career victories, 54 of which have come in the Cup Series. Despite being one of the most consistent and formidable drivers on the grid, the 44-year-old is still pursuing his first Cup Series championship.
Hamlin, who looked like he would secure a spot in the top two, eventually finished the race in P24. Catch the #11 driver next at Atlanta on Sunday.
Denny Hamlin reacts to last-lap Daytona 500 mayhem
Denny Hamlin recently shared his thoughts on the last-lap chaos at Daytona International Speedway, acknowledging that this year's misfortune has dampened his enthusiasm for racing. Missing the chance to join NASCAR’s elite with a fourth Daytona 500 win, the #11 driver expressed frustration over the unpredictable nature of the sport.
"That's what then kills my enthusiasm for this whole thing. This is what I wanted to do as a kid and I reached the top level and I was about to get my fourth. It was no guarantee, but I was gonna have a really good shot at getting my fourth and putting myself in elite company with the greats of our sport," Denny Hamlin said via Actions Detrimental. [30:41 onwards]
HMS ace William Byron secured his second consecutive victory at the iconic event, marking a historical achievement in his NASCAR career of becoming the youngest driver to manage the feat.