The boos and jeers pouring down on him from a packed coliseum of NASCAR fans didn’t deter Bristol Night Race winner Denny Hamlin from egging on the crowd a little more during his post-race interview on the frontstretch.
NBC Sports’ Marty Snider asked Hamlin what his thoughts were about the reaction he was receiving from the grandstands, and Hamlin turned and looked at them with a grin on his face.
“Hey, I beat your favorite driver,” he said. And he started to walk away. Snider asked which drivers, and Hamlin said, “All of them.”
End of interview.
Hamlin has taken on the role of Public Enemy No. 1 in NASCAR. It’s no longer Kyle Busch. Nor is it Brad Keselowski or Joey Logano. And gone are the days when Hendrick Motorsports drivers like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson won so much that fans began to dislike them for it. He embraces the anger he receives from fans and has done so with humorous posts on Twitter recently.
https://x.com/dennyhamlin/status/1683629188081647617?s=20
If anything, Hamlin’s rookie teammate Ty Gibbs or his 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace might be up there in terms of fan dislike, but Hamlin has had plenty more years of experience in the Cup Series for fans to have grown to despise him.
For all the instigating Hamlin does on and off the track, it’s a wonder that he hasn’t earned the nickname “Dennis the Menace” yet.
But it’s obvious how he has become the driver everyone loves to hate. In recent seasons, Hamlin has had run-ins with popular racers such as Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain. And over the last decade, several disputes have occurred between him and Joey Logano.
Hamlin speaks his mind for better or for worse, and such behavior drew the ire of Elliott fans after he said they “don’t think straight” after a race at Martinsville Speedway in 2021.
Perhaps his most famous moment after an altercation with a driver was at Martinsville in 2019 when he mockingly did his Logano-esque “just short track racing” impression in front of a camera.
Of course, Hamlin isn’t going to be everyone’s favorite driver. But his skill at racing stock cars can’t be knocked. He doesn’t have that elusive championship yet, but he has 51 Cup Series wins, which puts him 13th on the all-time list.
Hamlin goes into the Round of 12 with his third win of 2023 and absolutely no worries about his reputation with NASCAR fans.
Also of note:
Two-time and defending NASCAR champion Logano and 2014 champion Kevin Harvick were eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday night. Logano was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Corey LaJoie spun and slid up the track in front of the No. 22 Ford, and it ended the Team Penske driver’s night. Harvick battled a miserably handling car all night and finished 29th, so he will not end his Cup career with a chance at to go out on top.
Wallace advanced to the Round of 12 after Harvick and Logano had their issues. It was not a flashy race at all for the No. 23 driver, but he kept away from trouble and finished 14th.
Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were the other two drivers eliminated in the Round of 16 despite finishes of sixth and 10th from them, respectively.
Elliott isn’t in the playoffs, but his Hendrick No. 9 Chevy is still alive for the Owner’s Championship. The entry has made it to the Round of 12.
Zane Smith has signed a multiyear deal with Trackhouse Racing and will drive for Spire Motorsports in 2024 in an alliance with his new team. He will be in a Trackhouse entry in 2025, but next season, he’ll race a third car for Spire, which purchased Live Fast Motorsports’ charter for reportedly about $40 million.
Daniel Hemric will return to the Cup Series as the driver of the No. 31 for Kaulig Racing in 2024. Justin Haley is going to Rick Ware Racing, and it is possible A.J. Allmendinger is returning to the Xfinity Series with Kaulig next season. Ty Dillon is likely out of his ride at Spire when the checkered flag waves in Phoenix in November; he could be a candidate for the Kaulig No. 16 as the 2024 Cup field continues to take shape.
