By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer Even though they’ve quarreled as teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin wants Kyle Busch on his race team and at the track.
Busch was suspended from all racing last week at Texas as punishment from NASCAR for wrecking Ron Hornaday Jr under caution in the Trucks Series race. His participation at Phoenix this weekend was in doubt until late Thursday because of sponsor wrangling, but Busch is present and will run Sunday in the Sprint Cup Series race.
Hamlin said Busch provides information that is “vital” to how Hamlin and third teammate Joey Logano run.
<“He’s vital to our race team and the feedback that he has is vital to the way I drive my car every single week. He’s one of the key elements that we need,” Hamlin said.
When Tony Stewart left JGR following the 2008 season, Hamlin joked he’s now the senior leader of the organization. With Busch now reeling because of another misstep, Hamlin has an opportunity to provide some guidance.
But Hamlin said he’ll leave it to team owner Joe Gibbs.
“I think he is going to have to rely a lot on Joe Gibbs, who has been in that situation with a lot of pro athletes that he’s been associated with during his career,” Hamlin said. “I don’t know that I’m that person. I feel like I haven’t been around that long and I’ve made enough mistakes myself.
“I just don’t know me being around for six years, it’s my place to really say what he should or shouldn’t do. I think that he should definitely rely on Joe Gibbs for that because we’ve got one of the best sports guys in the history of pro sports as our owner. He’s seen it all and been through it all.”
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