When Will Denny Hamlin Pay Back Ross Chastain?

When, if at all, do you expect Ross Chastain to receive some on-track payback from Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Cup Series?

Michael Nebbia: Richmond Raceway. It’s the perfect storm – next to last race before the playoffs, a short track and Denny Hamlin’s home track. If Hamlin gets his revenge on Ross Chastain in front of his hometown fans, just imagine the uproar. Sure, there may be some sort of penalty coming but if you were Hamlin, it would be worth it.

Andrew Stoddard: It will be at one of the two short tracks on the playoff schedule, Bristol Motor Speedway or Martinsville Speedway. There is a history of drivers getting payback at short tracks in the playoff era, most notably Matt Kenseth taking out Joey Logano at the 2015 Martinsville race. Short tracks are easier places to get drivers back because it could be covered up as being a product of short track racing, as Hamlin said in his best Logano impression after their Martinsville dust-up in 2019. Also, short tracks are less dangerous places to get another driver back, as opposed to the higher speeds of 1.5-mile tracks like Las Vegas Motor Speedway or the pack racing at Talladega Superspeedway. I am sure Hamlin will take these factors into account when getting back at Chastain.

Stephen Stumpf: If Hamlin decides to set the record straight with Chastain, retaliation will come in the playoffs. Chastain has now ruined Hamlin’s race twice in the last month, and if Hamlin wants to send a message, doing it in the playoffs would be hitting Chastain where it hurts the most. Hamlin is far from the only one to take issue with Chastain’s racing this season, and that is why today was not the last we’ll see of these two. Chastain also needs to be careful and not make more enemies in the regular season, because he is a championship favorite and one of the fastest drivers this season. The final 10 races will already be hard enough with the number of drivers who will not play nice with him.

Should NASCAR put in a tampering rule to prevent drivers from bolting on a team with more than a year left in their contract? 

Stoddard: Yes. Based on Richard Childress Racing’s response to Tyler Reddick‘s announcement this week, it looks like 23XI Racing did not reach out to it beforehand. While it is understandable that Reddick and 23XI want to do what is best for them, it does put RCR and the No. 8 team in a prolonged lame-duck situation with Reddick, which is unfair. As for the punishment, a tampering…