Denny Hamlin’s recent display of emotion struck a chord across the NASCAR community. Fans who once showered him with boos after victories stood to applaud him at Las Vegas, recognizing the weight of the moment. It wasn’t just the milestone 60th win that brought tears to his eyes, it was also his father’s declining health.
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Despite juggling more than most could handle, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver continues to deliver at the top of his game.
Hamlin’s plate is overflowing. He’s navigating a rigorous schedule, the mental strain of weekly playoff competition, and the ongoing antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. Away from the track, he’s tending to his ailing father and a newborn son who needs him at home. But he’s still showing up, racing for wins while brushing off jeers from the stands.
That composure is precisely why Kenny Wallace placed Hamlin atop the mental toughness hierarchy. “It’s Denny Hamlin. Denny thrives on sh*t talk… Denny Hamlin has taken enormous abuse because he is an entertainer. Whenever you entertain, whenever the masses lay their eyes on you, they’re going to find everything they can wrong with you because it will make them feel powerful,” Wallace said.
Drawing comparisons, Wallace recalled how legends like Darrell Waltrip and Tony Stewart also fed off controversy. Waltrip once invited rivals to meet him in the parking lot before going on to win a championship, and Stewart famously clashed with Carl Edwards in the Homestead media room. Yet, Wallace maintained Hamlin stands above them all.
“I’m going to have to put Denny Hamlin right up there… Do you all realize the abuse that you’ve given Denny Hamlin? And all he does is win… Denny Hamlin cries because he says his dad is ailing. This 60 wins means a lot because his father is ailing. His father is not good.”
Currently the only driver locked into the Championship 4, Hamlin, who last reached this stage in 2021, has a golden opportunity staring him in the face, a long-awaited shot at the title that has slipped through his fingers for 21 years.
