During a recent episode of Actions Detrimental, a NASCAR fan asked Denny Hamlin when it first dawned on him, the possibility of him becoming a full-time NASCAR driver. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who has been with Coach Gibbs’ team right from the start, replied that it was over two decades ago when the idea of him being a NASCAR driver began to form in his head.
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“I would say when I went to that Late Model test that JD (Gibbs) attended and they said they were going to sign me to a driver development deal at Joe Gibbs Racing back in 2003, that’s when I knew it was a possibility. My foot just got wedged in the door at Joe Gibbs Racing at that moment. So that’s when I felt like it was possible,” Hamlin described.
The #11 driver claimed that while he had self-doubt about his competence to compete at that level, it all went away after he got a good result in “a very, very under-funded” team in a Truck Series race. “I just remember at that moment when I finished top 10, ‘Man, I think this might earn me another ride,” he claimed.
“And then it just kept snowballing, one thing after another. And literally from that point to 14-16 months later, I’m racing in the Cup Series.”
Hamlin argued that while all of it happened “pretty quick”, it was during the period between 2002 and 2003 when his life path went from working at his dad’s trailer shop to actually being a NASCAR driver.
When did @dennyhamlin feel like he could *actually* become a NASCAR driver? @jareddallen | @TravisRockhold
https://t.co/UCE7hl6LcF pic.twitter.com/jL6ZpE31iN— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 2, 2024
Denny Hamlin didn’t feel any pressure heading into *that test* in 2003
Considering that test was where it all began for Denny Hamlin, it’s only natural to assume that he felt pressure heading into that test. But as it turns out, he didn’t. This is because Hamlin wasn’t even the person they wanted from that test.
“They weren’t even looking for a driver like me. That’s where I helped them pick out Aric Almirola,” Hamlin claimed. This was when JGR started its diversity late-model team program. They had asked Hamlin and his then-teammate and invited them to pick out two diverse drivers for their program.
But then Hamlin began running “super fast laps” and showcasing his pure talent and skill behind the wheel, which made JGR think, “I know we’re not looking for a guy like Denny, but maybe we’ve found something here.”
What came next was a call from JD Gibbs to Joe Gibbs and a check of $10,000, which Hamlin confessed he spent in around 2 weeks.
