Denny Hamlin’s season might have ended in heartbreak at Phoenix, but the respect he earned through his domination on the day speaks louder than any championship trophy could. The sting of losing another shot at the title initially left him saying he didn’t even want to step back into a race car.
Advertisement
Yet, with time and perspective, Hamlin seems to have begun to understand that what truly matters isn’t the silverware on the shelf, it’s the respect of those who know the struggle. That realization has deepened his admiration for legends like Mark Martin, who walked a similar path before him.
Across 31 years in the Cup Series, Martin collected 40 wins but never picked up the championship trophy. Still, his reputation as one of the fiercest competitors to ever grip a steering wheel has never been questioned.
Hamlin, with 60 wins to his name over 21 seasons, knows exactly how that feels. Reflecting on the outpouring of support he received after Phoenix, the No. 11 driver said, “I saw it, I felt it. I still see it and feel it on social media. So yeah, it’s gratifying for me.”
He went on to explain what he learned from Martin’s journey, stating that the truest reward isn’t the hardware. “The trophies mean nothing. There’s only a few people that walk in the front door of this house, so there’s only a few people that see it. It’s the respect that we really ultimately seek.”
“Mark Martin was one that I always thought that the guy never won a championship. But if you don’t put him in your top 10 greatest drivers of all time, you’re absolutely crazy.” He emphasized how Martin’s ability to extract speed from an imperfect car made him a driver’s driver.
“Anybody that raced against him knew that that guy was doing exceptional things. Even when he didn’t have the fastest car, he made speed and won races, and just everyone knew. You ask Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace and guys with far more wins than Mark Martin, they’d say, ‘Yeah, but Mark’s the toughest. Mark was the hardest to beat,” added Hamlin.
For the JGR veteran, that legacy now feels familiar. Like Martin, he has reached a point where validation comes not from stats but from standing tall among peers. Martin would tell everyone he’s satisfied and gratified. He’s won what he hoped to win, the respect from his peers and fans that he’s one of the greatest, and that’s how Hamlin feels, too.
Beyond Martin, Hamlin also credited Carl Edwards for reshaping his outlook on life beyond the cockpit. He admitted that their conversations have helped him recognize that fulfillment isn’t confined to wins.
