Denny Hamlin’s reputation among NASCAR fans is quite divisive — they either adore him or despise him. He has inherited the mantle of NASCAR’s antagonist, a role once occupied by Kyle Busch. And just like Busch, Hamlin is not troubled by this perception. In 2023, after winning the Pocono race amid a chorus of boos, he embraced the reaction, declaring, “I love it.” But recently, he came out real, talking about his role in building that villain persona.
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During an appearance on the Daily Debut with Shannon Spake, following his victory on the short track at Martinsville, Hamlin was open about his controversial image.
When questioned about his standing among fans and within the NASCAR community, he acknowledged, “It just kind of took on a role of itself and I mean I certainly had my part in it. I understand that I play into it…”
However, he confessed, “So, when the fans started booing and whatnot, a few years ago, and I just was like all right well if you want to do that then I’m going to show you and so then it just fueled me more to want to be the guy that beats your favorite driver,” referencing his statement at Pocono in 2023, where he declared, “I beat your favorite driver,” after edging out Kyle Larson in a close, door-to-door clash that concluded under caution.
Hamlin indicated that he crafted this villainous persona intentionally. Yet, this image appeared to transform his recent triumph at Martinsville, sparked by a surprising change in fan reception. The seasoned Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who has embraced his role as NASCAR’s antagonist, found himself basking in cheers rather than the customary boos.
The #11 driver’s win was celebrated with an 11 Against the World flag, drawing a shift as fans showered him with support. Hamlin led 274 of the 400 laps, tying him with Rusty Wallace for the 11th spot on the all-time winningest drivers’ list.
Although he has previously acknowledged his comfort with portraying a brash exterior while maintaining humility internally — a stance that has cast him as NASCAR’s villain — it would be fascinating to know his perspective on the cheers he received from the crowd at Martinsville.
When Kyle Busch shared his elation about Hamlin taking up the villain role
Previously, as teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing, it was Busch who often found himself in the crosshairs of fan disapproval. He navigated these choppy waters with aplomb until he opted to change his stripes for the sake of his son.
However, last year, during a conversation with Kenny Wallace, the RCR driver expressed his approval of Hamlin stepping into this role, stating,
“I applaud Denny for taking on the role. It’s fun to see it from another side because I knew how to live it. And that’s the thing, man, like, you just have to embrace it and you just have to roll with it and go with it and take it on… And say like, ‘Yeah, you hate me because I’m a badass and you’re just jealous’ like yeah!”
Following his recent victory on the short track, Hamlin is currently ranked 6th in the driver standings, while his erstwhile teammate Kyle Busch is in 16th place, having secured one top-5 and two top-10 finishes this season.
