Denny Hamlin Names That One NASCAR Prize He’s “Never Going to Get”

NASCAR trophies often bear a unique novelty perhaps unmatched in other motorsports. These distinctive prizes range from the Vulkan Trophy, claimed by victors at Talladega Superspeedway, to an actual vintage Coca-Cola machine, a unique reward for winners of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR certainly boasts a collection of one-of-a-kind trophies. Veteran driver and co-owner Denny Hamlin was recently asked an intriguing question by his podcast’s co-host.

Of all the unique and remarkable trophies in NASCAR’s collection, which one held a special place in his heart? Which one would he personally cherish above all others?

Denny Hamlin reveals his favorite NASCAR trophy

In a recent episode of his podcast, Hamlin’s co-host asked him about his personal favorite out of all the NASCAR trophies. Following this, a brief snippet of Hamlin’s response was posted on Twitter.

Alright, @dennyhamlin‘s got his answer so we will ask y’all – what is the BEST trophy in NASCAR? pic.twitter.com/9Os6Sh50E8

— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) June 17, 2023

In the clip, Hamlin is heard saying, “Oh Gosh, I don’t know, I have to think about that. One of the best and it actually doesn’t fall into this… California is one that I really wanted. Never going to get it. Like, Fontana, the surfboard… That was cool…”

He further added, “There’s quite a few of them that are awesome but more silver, more gold, more wood combinations. That it just never gets old. If you see some of the biggest trophies in NASCAR or really all of motorsports. Like all the significant trophies. Like Borg-Warner for the Indy 500. It’s just a big-ass silver.”

His co-host then spoke about the Gateway trophy and Hamlin responded, “Yeah it was cool. It’s at Kyle Busch’s house if we wanna go check it out.”

What is the trophy that drivers get after winning at Fontana?

While most trophies are typically embellished with silver, the Fontana trophy stands out as a unique one, befitting its southern Californian origins. Upon winning the race, the driver receives a trophy shaped like a wooden surfboard.

However, the honor doesn’t stop there. The following season, the winner is further honored with a fully custom-made surfboard. A truly Californian reward for a California-based race, one can say.

So why did Hamlin express doubts about ever receiving it? Well, this stems from NASCAR’s plans to reconstruct the Auto Club Speedway into a short track. Consequently, no races are scheduled at the venue for 2024. It is uncertain whether NASCAR will return in 2025 due to the potentially extensive reconstruction timeline.