NASCAR watching, but not policing, Hamlin-BK feud

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Despite a continuing and open display of dislike for each other that now and again seems to include knocking into each other with their race cars, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski's budding rivalry is being embraced by NASCAR and not discouraged.

Video Recap

An escalating difference of opinion between Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski has roots before this season.

Charlotte

• Tempers flare in 2008 race
• Addressing post-race melee

Dover

• Keselowski wrecks Hamlin
• Keselowski, Hamlin react

Fontana

• Another incident slows Hamlin

Phoenix

• Hamlin, Keselowski at it again
• Strong words by budding foes

Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, said officials from the governing body had spoken with both drivers separately following the latest incident involving them during Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. Neither was penalized or punished in any way, and Pemberton said he considers their latest brush with each other concluded.

"We talked to Denny and Brad separately. We talked to each of them [Saturday] and again [before Sunday's race]," Pemberton said. "It was nothing major. It was just to remind everybody of the bigger picture.

"It really was not to tell them not to race hard at all. They need to keep racing as hard as they want to. That's what people come to see. So we didn't tell them not to race hard."

Joe Balash, Nationwide Series director, added: "I think we've really finished all the events from [Saturday]. There were no penalties from anything that happened out on the race track and no calls from the [control] tower and we're moving on to our next race."

Pemberton added that such rivalries as the one blossoming between Hamlin and Keselowski are good for the sport.

"They are rivalries, and you'd like to let things take care of themselves and have the guys work it out, on and off the track," Pemberton said. "They owe that, because many of these guys are going to be racing each other for years to come -- decades, potentially. When you're in close quarters like that, not everyone agrees on what real estate they have to own -- and you'll see that from time to time.

"I see out there in some of these younger guys the potential for these rivalries to be in the style of Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt, or in the David Pearson-Richard Petty style," Pemberton said. "We've got a lot of young, talented guys out there who are really standing on the gas and picking up their game -- and they've very, very competitive. I think that helps add to the competition at the race track every weekend.

Pemberton added that NASCAR perceived nothing wrong with Hamlin's "colorful" comments after Saturday's race, when he basically threatened retaliation for what he thought had happened.

"Everybody should enjoy [the comments]," Pemberton said. "And everybody should remember we're the sport where you can go stick a microphone in someone's face 15 minutes after something either really good happens, or something really bad happens. They're still pumped up, their adrenaline is still flowing -- and we get the natural thing when those things happen. That's not bad. Guys have personalities and it's OK to share that."

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Brad Keselowski is becoming a household name in NASCAR, so much so that Brian France wanted to have a face-to-face with the young driver.

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Keselowski and Hamlin had plenty to say about each other after Saturday's race.

Hamlin, in particular, was hot over the Lap 157 incident that started with Hamlin bumping Keselowski and ducking beneath him. Keselowski retaliated in the corner and turned Hamlin's No. 20 Toyota. Hamlin kept the car off the wall but had to pit and restarted at the back of the field on Lap 164, leading to a 12th-place finish after he had been running up front most of the afternoon.

"On the last restart there, Denny got into the back of me and pushed me up the track," said Keselowski, who went on to finish fifth. "I was going to return the favor. When he did it to me, I saved it. When I did it to him, he didn't save it. We just got into a pushing match. I don't really don't hold any grudges. I don't know why he wanted to do that. But whatever, that's just how racing is, I guess.

"To me, I was over it. I'm focused on running the No. 88 JR Motorsports car and trying to run up front, chase down Carl [Edwards in the Nationwide standings] and finish second in points. I haven't put a lot of thought into [the rivalry], but apparently he has."

Hamlin implied that he looked forward to having a shot at revenge in next Saturday's race, the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"I can sit here and bash him for the next 20 seconds or so and give you all a bunch of sound bites, but I'm just happy that I signed up for next week's Nationwide race," Hamlin said. "And you know in turn, there are a lot of guys that owe him. There are a lot of guys that have a lot of chips that they're going to cash in; I'm just going to be the first to the pay window.''

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• Edwards wins at PIR; Busch title delayed; Hamlin-BK renew rivalry

Sporting News Wire Service contributed to this report.