With 54 wins in the high-octane world of the NASCAR Cup Series, there isn’t a lot that Denny Hamlin fears. But panic shrouds his heart every time he travels to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). He worries not about the track’s challenges or the speed of his competitors but the pincers of the lobster that will be handed to him in victory lane should he emerge as the race winner.
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It has been a tradition since 2010 at the NHMS to reward winners with a lobster called Loudon as a trophy. Weighing anywhere between 18-28 pounds, the sea creature is gigantic and intimidating. While many drivers are extremely fond of this living trophy some like Hamlin aren’t so keen on being anywhere near it. The same was evident in the scenes after Hamlin’s win at the track back in 2017.
The Joe Gibbs Racing star tried staying away from it as much as he could and even tried running off the stage at one point. Asked about his aversion in the press conference afterward, he said, “I’m not going to do anything with it. I’ve seen it and touched it for the last time. I have a lobster phobia. I just don’t like them. Can’t look at it. So as far as I’m concerned, they need to put it back in the water and let it live.”
He further detailed what he thought of the leviathans in another interview later the same year. “I’ve never really liked them to begin with,” he quipped warily. “I don’t like the taste of them. I don’t — I just don’t like looking at them. They have pincers, really, so I don’t like anything that’s ugly and has pincers. I don’t know — it’s just a big scorpion in my mind.”
Can Denny Hamlin win a lobster trophy this weekend despite his aversion?
Hamlin has one of the best average finish rates at New Hampshire. He has won at the track thrice over his career and has finished inside the top-10 in each of the last five races. Most recently, he came in seventh place during the race in 2023. The past points to a scenario where he might be left holding Loudon once again as much as he may hate it.
He currently sits third on the points table with three victories. Though he has had extremely strong runs so far, there have been occasions where his team has failed to hit the mark. The past two weekends at Sonoma and Iowa where he ended up in 38th (DNF) and 24th places, respectively, serve as testament to that. Hopes are that he will get back to his usual self this weekend with a little help from Loudon.
