Hamlin/Harvick make up: Sprint Cup points leader #11-Denny Hamlin and #29-Kevin Harvick have made peace. Hamlin said during a Tuesday news conference promoting the October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway that he and the Richard Childress Racing driver talked on the phone and settled the issues that transpired last weekend at Dover. "We came to really quick terms that our friendship is solid," said Hamlin, noting Harvick is probably his closest friend away from the track. "Regardless of what happens on the racetrack, our friendship goes further than that. We do a lot for each other off the track and I feel that goes a long way." It wasn't that way Saturday at Dover International Speedway. Harvick was angered by things Hamlin said about the RCR team of Clint Bowyer that was fined 150 championship points last week after NASCAR determined Bowyer's winning car at New Hampshire violated tolerances. "We talked and everything is good with us," Hamlin said. Hamlin admitted he may have said too much during his Friday news conference when he attacked Bowyer's team. He said the plan entering the media center was to avoid questions about the situation, but when told Bowyer referred to his car and Johnson's having to go through post-race height inspection twice the previous week at New Hampshire, Hamlin threw caution to the wind. Hamlin said he knew when he left the interview that he'd stirred things up. He wasn't surprised when Gibbs and team president J.D. Gibbs called to tell him he said too much. "It is hard for me not to say what's on my mind at times," Hamlin said. "Joe kind of explained that to me. Not everybody needs to hear what you have to say when you think things are going wrong. I kind of understand that." Hamlin said Joe and J.D. Gibbs were calm. Crew chief Mike Ford, who called his remarks against Bowyer's team "stupid," was not. "Mike wasn't laughing at all," Hamlin said. "Obviously, he's a deflection type guy. He figures we have enough within that race team as far as what we need to do to stay focused to win a championship. We don't need to make our jobs any harder. He told me we made our jobs harder, and I definitely can't disagree with that."(ESPN.com)(9-29-2010)
