During the final laps of the second stage in the 68th Daytona 500, a significant crash involving Justin Allgaier and Denny Hamlin occurred, resulting in a multi-car collision that affected 20 vehicles. Initially, Justin Allgaier accepted full responsibility for the incident, but Denny Hamlin later acknowledged he shares part of the blame for the event that unfolded on Lap 124.
How the Crash Unfolded on Lap 124
The crash ignited as Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, was blocking Hamlin from taking the lead. Allgaier left roughly enough room for a car to squeeze between him and the wall, prompting Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing to attempt an outside move to overtake. However, Allgaier veered to the right, pushing both drivers into the wall and causing the field behind them to collide.
Denny Hamlin’s Perspective on the Incident
Speaking on his Actions Detrimental podcast during the season premiere, Hamlin admitted his share of responsibility for the crash.
“Allgaier took 100 percent of the blame; I’ll take 20 of it,”
Hamlin stated.
“I’ll take 20 of it because it was an aggressive move, but it’s coming at the end of the stage. He’s gotta know I’m gonna be aggressive, like, I’m gonna take every run I’m gonna get at the end of a stage because stage points do matter to me.”
Hamlin explained that once he cleared the bottom lane, he intended to be at the top to finish the stage and was committed to making an outside pass, believing there was enough space between Allgaier and the wall to execute it safely.
“It was enough space, obviously, if he didn’t move up, I had outside position, but it probably happened so quickly that it caught him off guard. So, for me, I think my 20 percent is that he probably didn’t have a whole lot of time to react or see that was coming, therefore was late to react to it.”
Reflecting on What Could Have Been Done Differently
Looking back, Hamlin suggested he might have chosen a different approach to avoid the collision.
Image of: Justin Allgaier
“Had I had it to do all over again, I would have stayed on (Allgaier),”
he said, describing how the speed advantage he held because of the push could have allowed him to maintain position rather than make an aggressive pass. Hamlin added that slowing down could have prompted a different chain reaction involving Ryan Blaney, a nearby driver known for his alertness and driving skill.
“Or I could have just gone to the bottom and probably cleared him with the speed differential that I had. … Again, doing it all over again, had I known what the result was going to be, I would have just stayed in line there for a few more laps.”
Implications and What to Expect Moving Forward
The Justin Allgaier Daytona incident not only disrupted the race but also highlighted the high tensions and split-second decisions drivers face at critical moments like stage ends. Hamlin’s candid admission of partial fault emphasizes the complexity of aggressive racing strategies when fighting for stage points. This crash will likely prompt drivers and teams to reassess approaches to passing and blocking under pressure to minimize similar wrecks in future events.
As the season continues, both Hamlin and Allgaier will be looking to recover and learn from this collision as they push toward their goals in the Daytona 500 and beyond, with fans and analysts closely watching how such high-stakes interactions evolve on the track.
