Amid a familiar mix of cheers and boos, Denny Hamlin celebrated his 55th Cup victory, climbing onto his No. 11 Toyota and displaying a blue flag with the slogan “11 against the world.”
Apparently, Hamlin’s gesture was both a celebration and a provocation to those who doubted his ability to continue winning on the NASCAR main circuit.
“That’s me,” Hamlin said, adding that, without the possibility of provoking, he loses his superpower. “I’m not that good. It drives my friends crazy. It feeds me and makes me feel good. … I love it when someone says I can’t do it, and then go out and do it.”
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin’s victories often come amid adversity, and recently it has not been lacking.
- He and Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, are embroiled in a lawsuit against NASCAR that has lasted for six months.
- His team began the season looking for a primary sponsor to replace FedEx.
The victory at Martinsville also broke two long droughts for Hamlin: a 31-race winless streak and a 10-year winless streak at the 0.526-mile oval.
Tying Rusty Wallace for 11th on the all-time wins list won’t resolve his legal battles, but the self-proclaimed “King of Irrational Confidence” enjoyed dominating Martinsville, proving he’s still a championship contender.
“I know when I have the car to do it, I can be the best,” Hamlin said. “I don’t feel like I’ve held the car back at any point. Certainly, I’m not immune to understanding that time is relentless. Everything I need to be good as a race car driver is still very sharp.”
Denny Hamlin
Team boss Chris Gayle was surprised by the work ethic of his new driver. Even late on Saturday night before the race, Hamlin was texting Gayle about his car.
“As he has gotten older, he has almost had to increase the amount of work he does,” Gayle said. “He might have gotten away with not doing it before. He is with us in the simulator at least six or seven hours a week. He does it to be part of the team. That speaks to where his head is at this age.”
Chris Gayle
Team owner Joe Gibbs claimed that Hamlin spends more time in the simulator than his three teammates, all at least 14 years younger. Gibbs wants to keep his veteran leader long-term.
“The only thing I’ve learned about athletes, the ones who really have something special, is that it’s best to be careful with anything early,” Gibbs said. “Let them go. So we’re going to ride Denny as long as we can.”
Joe Gibbs
Hamlin smiled when he was told that Wallace never won again after his 55th victory in March 2004 at Martinsville. Wallace retired from the Cup the following season.
“I won’t feel bad about breaking his record of 55 when I do it,” Hamlin said, adding that his retirement is “still a long way off.”
Denny Hamlin
Controversial Races
NASCAR officials are reviewing the controversial Xfinity finish at Martinsville Speedway to determine if the drivers will be penalized.
Hamlin was one of those who criticized the driving and the dirty play, and plans to address it on his weekly podcast “Actions Detrimental”.
“I think the sanctioning body needs to get involved a little bit and act on some atrocious stuff,” Hamlin said. “It was horrible driving by most of the people. It’s just not a good look. You shouldn’t be able to take someone out. We have a black flag for a reason. We should start using it.”
Denny Hamlin
Executive Changes
NASCAR named Steve Phelps as its new commissioner, overseeing all aspects of NASCAR, the IMSA sports car series, and the 15 tracks owned or operated by NASCAR.
Steve O’Donnell will move from NASCAR’s chief operating officer to replace Phelps as president and will be in charge of the day-to-day oversight of its three national series and its commercial, media, and track operations.
