Are Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin still friends? Here's what we know

While Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson are long-time friends, it all started to change when they began competing for wins. On Kenny Wallace’s Kenny Conversation show, Hamlin opened up about his relationship with Larson.

The No. 11 Toyota Camry driver at Joe Gibbs Racing, the team he’s been on since his rookie year in 2006, told Wallace that his friendship with Larson started to change when he signed for Hendrick Motorsports.

Larson pilots the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro at Hendrick Motorsports after signing a full-time seat in 2021.

“I think we’ve been friends off the racetrack for a very long time. I think that our friendship was always better before we started competing for race wins against each other. I think, certainly, when he got in the Hendrick number five car, he stepped into a top-tier organization, he’s finally getting that top equipment, that the rest of us got, now he’s showing what his ability is,” Hamlin said.

The JGR driver admitted keeping a friendship with a rival is a difficult task, thus his relationship with the HMS driver isn't as close as it once was.

“What I’ve learned over time though is that it is very difficult to keep a friendship on the racetrack as well," Hamlin said.

“I think that while kind of our relationship is not as close as it once was, I kind of wish it was, but I’m also okay if it isn’t because I think that we need to continue to push as much as we can to win for ourselves and our own team,” Hamlin stated.

Hamlin argued that drivers should be able to separate their relationships with each other on and off the track. He recalled drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr., who raced hard against his rivals yet would still go out and fish with them.

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has scored 21 wins, 58 top-5s, and 76 top-10s. His best season came in 2021 when the 32-year-old driver bagged his first NASCAR Cup Series championship - a feat Denny Hamlin has yet to achieve.

Hamlin has amassed 54 wins in his entire Cup career so far. He joins Junior Johnson as the only driver who won more than 50 races without a championship. In comparison to Larson, the 43-year-old veteran has recorded 10 wins, 52 top-5s, and 72 top-10s since 2021.

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Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson were bumping each other at last year’s Pocono

With seven laps to go at Pocono last year, Denny Hamlin sent Kyle Larson into the wall. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver retaliated and bumped the No. 11 Toyota driver while the race was under caution.

Hamlin went on to score his second win of the 2023 season, while Larson dropped down to a P20 finish.

During a post-race interview, Larson admitted getting pissed at Hamlin but won’t let the racing incident tarnish their friendship.

“He’s always right. All the buddies know Denny is always right. So I’m sure he was in the right there as well but, you know, it is what it is. I’m not going to let it tarnish our friendship on track but I am pissed. And I feel like I should be pissed,” Larson said.

Kyle Larson pointed out that he would start racing his buddy differently from now onwards.