Hamlin vows to get even with Chastain after Gateway wreck

MADISON, Ill. — Denny Hamlin posted a clip on Twitter late Sunday that essentially mashed up his beef with Ross Chastain from earlier in the day with a scene from “Days of Thunder,” when Tom Cruise’s character tells his team to change his tires after a race had ended so that he could head back out and wreck his foil. His simmering spat with Chastain turned downright boiling during Stage 2 of NASCAR’s Cup Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway, when the eighth-generation watermelon farmer couldn’t make a pass around Hamlin stick. “It’s good he takes responsibility,” Hamlin said of Chastain, “but ultimately it ruined our day.” Ruined his night, too. Hamlin spent hours afterward in a Twitter back-and-forth with Trackhouse Racing’s Justin Marks, the owner of Chastain’s car, who replied to Hamlin’s comment about fencing his driver with: “Can’t wait.” “You’re not helping JM,” Hamlin tweeted in reply, before adding: “I mean you can keep stoking if you’d like.” Sounds like the start of a feud between two of the sport’s progressive young owners — Hamlin drives for Joe Gibbs Racing but also owns 23XI Racing along with Michael Jordan, and fields cars for Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace.