Feud heats up between Hamlin, RCR in practice

DOVER, Del. -- What had merely been a war of words between Denny Hamlin and the Richard Childress Racing organization spilled onto the race track Saturday when RCR driver Kevin Harvick appeared to deliberately wreck Hamlin as Cup Series practice began.

Harvick's No. 29 Chevrolet appeared to clip Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota from behind and then cut Hamlin off as a 45-minute practice at the one-mile track got under way. The incident sent both cars to the garage area, where their stalls were located right next to each other and the drivers subsequently exchanged heated words and had to be separated by Cup Series director John Darby.

The battle continues

• Tempers flare in practice
• Childress defends his team
• Hamlin saw penalty coming
• Bowyer defiant about penalty

"There really was just a lot of cursing," Hamlin said. "That's all that was being said. There was really nothing logical being said between the two teams."

One day earlier, on Friday, Hamlin had made several pointed comments saying that he was not surprised by the severe penalties levied against owner Richard Childress, Clint Bowyer and the No. 33 RCR team following a failed inspection at NASCAR's Research and Development Center last week. Announcement of the failed inspection and penalties came three days after Bowyer won the opening race of the 2010 Chase at New Hampshire.

The penalties levied against Bowyer's team -- which included 150 driver and owner points, six-week suspensions for crew chief Shane Wilson and car chief Chad Haney, plus a $150,000 fine for Wilson -- have been appealed by RCR. Spokesman Ramsey Poston of NASCAR said Saturday that the appeals hearing before the National Stock Car Racing Commission would be held on Wednesday, Sept. 29.

After Saturday's incident, Childress made thinly veiled references to Harvick applying a little payback to Hamlin on the track.

"When you're talking about comments, you can't win a pissing match with a skunk," Childress said in obvious reference to Hamlin. "There are two things I've learned. One thing is that. The other is that you don't throw stones if you live in a glass house."

Asked for specifics of what happened between the two cars on the track, Childress replied: "I didn't see it. I can't comment on it."

Told there was considerable damage to Hamlin's right rear, Childress grinned and replied: "I don't know if he backed into Kevin or not."

Hamlin defended his right to speak his mind and said he figured some form of RCR retribution was headed his way shortly after arriving at the Dover track Saturday morning.

"I had a hint something was coming because their crew guys were just staring and saying something like, 'Hey, good luck today,' " Hamlin said. "He got into me on pit road before we were even on the track. So I knew we were going to have some issues. It's unnecessary that the team guys have to get involved in it, but we're going to just keep focused on trying to win a championship."

Hamlin enters Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover leading the point standings, with Harvick second. Hamlin's advantage on Harvick is a mere 45 points.

Now both will have to race Sunday with repaired race cars that lost valuable practice time on the track Saturday. In addition to the damage to Hamlin's right rear there also was damage to Harvick's left front, although it did not appear to be as extensive.

The two drivers glared at each other for much of the time as their crews went to work repairing their cars in the garage, with Harvick missing roughly 15 minutes of practice time and Hamlin missing about 20. (Continued)