“Who Do You Think You Are?”: Denny Hamlin Got Bitter Reality Check From Former Crew Chief Early in His NASCAR Career

The dream of racing in the top flight of American Motorsports is something that most young talents have across the board. However, it is only once you get close to that stage that you realize the true nature of the competition of racing against some of the stock car racing’s greatest.

This hint of realization struck a young Denny Hamlin when he first made it into the Cup Series. Back then, his crew chief gave him a reality check, something Hamlin remembers to this day. Recently, while speaking with The Athletic, Hamlin revealed what his former crew chief had told him.

Denny Hamlin reveals a life lesson he picked up early in his career

During the interview, Hamlin was asked about a life lesson that he picked up early on and stuck to it ever since. Talking first about his father’s work ethic influencing him, he added, “As a young adult, the other one was (former crew chief) Mike Ford’s “better find happiness in something other than winning” in my rookie year.”

“I was pouting because I wasn’t winning and he’s like, “Dude, you’re going up against the best Cup drivers — Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon — like who do you think you are? These guys are good.”

“To think you’re going to come in here and just start winning races like you were in Late Models — you better find happiness in something other than winning because you’re going to lose way more than you’re going to win in this sport.”

How was Denny Hamlin’s first season in the Cup Series?

Hamlin joined the sport back in the 2006 season with Joe Gibbs Racing as a full-time driver, not moving teams since. Now looking back at his debut full-time Cup Series season, Hamlin entered the foray with a bang.

He won at the Pocono 500 mid-way through the season. Thereafter he picked up another win at the same race track when NASCAR went back for the Highpoint.com 400. Hamlin ended up finishing the season in the 3rd place. He also had 8 Top 5s and 20 Top 10s. Now, for a rookie, that had to be one of the better stints playing against the big boys of the sport at the time.

Throughout the years, Hamlin had relatively good runs across the seasons except in 2013, where he finished 23rd in the championship. Aside from that he has been in the championship four multiple times but has never been able to turn that into a win.

Judging by his run so far and overall statistics. this could indeed be the year Hamlin picks up his first title and remove his name as the only driver with 50 wins without a championship.