Denny Hamlin blames van Gisbergen for crash

Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen didn't astonishment galore erstwhile they showed they had the apical 2 cars successful past Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity contention astatine Watkins Glen International. It was lone a substance of clip earlier the two, arsenic teammates from JR Motorsports/Trackhouse Racing, collided successful the decorativeness line.

Continuation of the contention and the inevitable crash

The continuation of the contention for the experienced van Gisgeren ended with 18 laps to go. While helium was doing everything to sphere the starring position, helium was deed by Zilisch entering chicane fig 6. His fig 9 Chevrolet deed the partition hard connected the side.

Denny Hamlin said connected the "Actions Detrimental" podcast connected Monday that helium believes the responsibility lies with the experienced driver. He explained that Zilisch was conscionable holding his presumption aft van Gisbergen forced him to widen retired of chicane 5.

“The car that went into the wall, that was their fault. They didn’t springiness Conor capable country to get backmost connected the track,” Hamlin said. “The spotter connected Conor said, ‘Now he’s connected the outside, present he’s connected the inside.’ So, aforesaid regularisation — if you get him to spell wide, you’ve got to springiness him country to get back. You can’t expect him to easiness disconnected the state and get past you and past travel backmost down you. I deliberation Connor held his position, but unluckily van Gisbergen ended up being the victim.

I privation I could person seen however it ended, but No. 9 (van Gisbergen) was an casual target. He couldn’t person won. No. 88 (Zilisch) was a batch faster astatine that point.”

Zilisch shares his views

Zilisch had a akin sentiment and felt helium wasn’t fixed capable room.

“I don’t cognize what other I could person done,” helium said implicit the radio. “He didn’t permission maine immoderate country to get backmost connected the track. He turned maine astir successful beforehand of my nose… I deliberation helium thought I was free.”

After that, Zilisch went connected to triumph his sixth triumph of the season, taking the pb successful the points standings by 7 points implicit his teammate Justin Allgaier.

Van Gisbergen, connected the different hand, was disappointed, but made up for his nonaccomplishment the precise adjacent time by taking his 4th Cup Series triumph of the season.