Harvick weighs in on Busch and Hamlin’s heated war | Sports News

NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick has defended Denny Hamlin after his latest beef with Kyle Busch, however understands why his rival took the feedback personally forward of the Kansas Lottery 300.

“I didn’t take Denny’s comments as bad,” Harvick stated on his Happy Hour podcast. “If I was Kyle I would have taken them how Kyle took them. I’d have been p—–. I’d have probably run him over on the racetrack at some point, like we did at Dover way back when.

“But I react otherwise to issues. I like each the fellows now. I like Denny Hamlin and I like Kyle Busch. But 2006? Probably would have smashed him.”

Harvick then suggested that Hamlin came across as brusque in his podcast, but seemed more analytical when speaking ahead of the race. “I feel that Denny delivered it fairly bluntly on his podcast,” Harvick said.

“I feel he gave a little more in-depth of what he thinks of Kyle on the pre-race show and the issues that he stated. And, look, the scenario with Kyle is hard, with the place they’re from a efficiency standpoint.

“Denny also said the exact same thing that we all think: We want to see Kyle Busch win. Kyle Busch winning is good for the sport.

“Kyle Busch isn’t going to win proper now as a result of the automobiles aren’t working good. Kyle Busch continues to be succesful of driving these automobiles. Two, three years in the past he was profitable in the Gen 7 car.”

Harvick appeared to side with Hamlin’s view that Busch will only win with a new car, but there’s no guarantee changes will be made.

“Right now we’re going to see if Kyle’s management abilities are there, to be the chief of RCR to help get the automobiles back to the place they need to be,” Harvick added.

“Richard Childress goes to ask, ‘What do we do? What do you think?’ And not scared to make adjustments. So it’s going to be an attention-grabbing scenario.”