Hamlin vs. Keselowski: Is This What Revenge and Rivalry is Coming to in NASCAR?

30 years ago, in the 1979 Daytona 500, a pair of drivers fought a war against each other for 200 laps. On the last of those, the two made contact battling for the win in NASCAR’s most prestigious event, lost control of their cars, and careened into the outside wall.

Neither of them won, and afterwards, the two started fighting.

That’s right. In front of millions of viewers, the two drivers, gloves off, on the apron of turn 3, got into a fist fight.

Video: Rivalry in 1979

That was the first-ever televised NASCAR race, and it brought millions of fans to the sport.

That’s what rivalry and revenge were then.

This is what they are 30 years later.

Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski are the modern-day case of two drivers who simply hate each other. They’ve been involved in multiple scuffles, with Hamlin being on the receiving end of most of them.

A week ago, after Keselowski once again gave Hamlin an early Christmas present, the latter swore revenge on the former:

“There are a lot of guys with chips on their shoulders with (Keselowski), and I’m going to be the first to the pay window.”

Saturday, Hamlin really taught Keselowski a lesson.

Early on in the Ford 300 Nationwide race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hamlin made good on his promise. Too bad it didn’t really mean a whole lot. Hamlin bumped Keselowski coming out of turn 4, and turned him down the frontstretch.

Keselowski went for a lazy spin, and didn’t hit a thing. Hamlin received another early Christmas present; This one being from NASCAR in the form of a one-lap penalty. Both drivers would continue on and finish in the top 12.

Video: Rivalry Today

Naturally, as it so happens in NASCAR nowadays, Hamlin’s “revenge” on Keselowski was the #1 story during the telecast.

But I have to ask the question, what’s the big deal? Is this what revenge and rivalry is coming to in NASCAR?

30 years ago, we had guys fighting in the infield. That was rivalry. When one guy threw a punch, that was his revenge, whether it be over getting wrecked, or getting punched.

Now, if one guy calls out another, that’s a rivalry. And if one guy sends another for a lazy spin, that’s revenge.

The thing is, this is the biggest rivalry we’ve seen in NASCAR since Spencer vs. Busch. Over the last couple of years, we’ve had skirmishes between Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brian Vickers, David Reutimann and Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano and Greg Biffle, but nothing ever precipitated from them.

Now, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski diss each other’s driving; Keselowski spins Hamlin three times, which creates a so-called “rivalry”; Then Hamlin gets his so-called “revenge” by sending Keselowski for a lazy spin. And this is big news?

What’s the deal? What happened? When did the sport get so soft?

Is this what revenge and rivalry are coming to in NASCAR?