Denny Hamlin’s Prized Response to Michael Jordan Hyping Up the Joe Gibbs Driver’s Divisive Antics

Denny Hamlin, much like Kyle Busch, Michael Jordan, and the late Dale Earnhardt, doesn’t just brush off the boos — he feeds off of them. Rather than letting the jeers rattle his cage, he turns the noise into fuel, often going the extra mile to irk his critics by delivering knockout performances.

Whether pushing past fan favorites into the corner of the track or stealing the lead on a pit road restart, Hamlin has embraced the villain role with open arms. And now, even with some boos morphing into cheers and critics starting to tip their hats, Hamlin seems hell-bent on keeping that edgy persona alive.

After securing back-to-back victories at Martinsville and Darlington, Hamlin hoisted a flag with the words “11 Against the World,” sending a clear message to fans and rivals alike. 23XI Racing co-owner, NBA legend Michael Jordan, saw straight through the theatrics.

Reflecting on Hamlin’s mindset, Jordan remarked that the #11 driver thrives under pressure and shares the same fire that fueled Jordan’s career. “That’s just the way Denny is and if you boo him, that makes him better. You know, you boo me, that makes me better. I mean, that’s just the nature of a good competitor,” he stated.

Echoing that sentiment, Hamlin didn’t mince words before the Bristol race, where he later finished runner-up. He admitted, “There’s nothing more gratifying to me than winning and then figuring out how I’m going to antagonize this crowd. That’s what my goal is for the day.”

At Darlington, although William Byron was the class of the field for most of the afternoon, leading 243 laps and sweeping both stages, it was Hamlin who flipped the script in the final act and finished in P1.

During green-flag pit stops in the closing stage, Hamlin’s #11 crew pulled off a stop in just 9.42 seconds, vaulting him into the lead and setting the stage for an overtime dash. With that move, he not only snatched the win but also reminded the crowd that whether they boo or cheer him, he’s still writing his own script.

Kevin Harvick’s honest take on Hamlin’s flag

Although Hamlin explained that the flag was merely a nod to Ohio State football’s rallying cry, Kevin Harvick wasn’t exactly won over by the stunt. On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick aired his grievances, painting a clear picture of why the move did not sit well with him.

Harvick expressed that in his view, Hamlin would’ve done better to simply bask in the crowd’s cheers and leave it at that. The atmosphere was in his favor, fans were on their feet, and for a rare moment, the boos had turned to applause. But when Hamlin pulled out the flag, Harvick believed it threw cold water on what could’ve been a perfect moment.

Given the crowd’s unusually warm reception and Hamlin’s long-standing role as a seasoned veteran in the sport, Harvick felt it would’ve been wiser to let the moment speak for itself. Even Hamlin himself admitted he was caught off guard by the cheers.

Harvick went a step further, drawing a comparison to Denny Hamlin’s celebration at Darlington, which, free from theatrics, came off with more grace and dignity. At the heart of his critique, Harvick made it clear: he wants people to root for Hamlin, not turn on him.