Denny Hamlin is championship-less, but he is a winner nonetheless! Although one of the best drivers that NASCAR has, he hasn’t managed to taste the ultimate glory yet. He notably has won 54 cup races but championship–zero. But Denny Hamlin doesn’t mind this. He made a rather unusual statement with highlights that he prefers race wins to championships. On the other hand, we have Chase Elliott, who has a considerable amount of race wins, a championship, and the tag of ‘the most popular driver’ to his name.

Yet this HMS ace feels his stardom pales in comparison to the decorated career of Denny Hamlin. Elliott’s admiration for the #11 Toyota driver hints at a mutual respect between the two racing giants. Markedly, Hamlin has previously mentioned Elliott to be a serious threat to the championship. And Chase Elliot is known to be a competitive driver, so it makes sense.

Chase Elliott abides by the satisfaction of a win today over the gratification of tomorrow

While Denny Hamlin is considered an elite driver, he had no luck winning championships, leaving us questioning the cause. Recently Hamlin opened up about his stance on this. He said he would rather end his career with a higher number of race victories and no championships than the vice-versa. He said in a press conference at Dover Motor Speedway, “I care about wins and winning every single week because in the end I absolutely would take 60-some wins and no championship over 20 and one. It’s just not even close.” Chase Elliott, who recently won the Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was asked about his stance on the statement. And he stood by Hamlin!

According to Elliott, a driver’s opinion is formed by their age and the current stage of their career. The #9 Chevy driver even went ahead to affirm that although championships are great, they are probably great to look back to more like a gratification later on. In the post-race interview, he said, “​​I think having a lot of wins means that you’ve had a lot of good days spread out through a long period of time. So I just think that general satisfaction that you get from a race win or a day going your way – if those wins are in large quantities like that, I think ultimately that means that you’ve had a lot of good days leaving the racetrack and a lot of satisfaction.”

According to him,  wins are important in the heat of the moment and it is crucial since race wins give one a sense of satisfaction. As a driver, one can be satisfied, happy, and joyful with frequent race wins.

Elliott has 19 cup wins and is a champion and yet, by his statements, it seems like he prefers what Hamlin has. The satisfaction of today over the happiness of tomorrow. Hamlin, post Elliot’s Texas race after a 42-winless streak, did support him too, ​​saying he is a serious contender for the cup. While we don’t know about friendship, they too sure have respect for each other. As for friends, Elliott has a small friend circle whom he looks at for constant support. The best part, they are his fellow drivers! 

Elliott and his trio of NASCAR Musketeers

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Chase Elliott has a group of friends with whom he has been close since childhood. Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Bubba Wallace grew up together when they began their journey in racing. Blaney recently spoke about his relationship with Wallace and Elliott. He explained how they have been racing each other since they were 10 years old!

He said to ESPN, “I grew up racing with a handful of guys that are in the Cup Series now. Myself, Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott. You know, we all kind of grew up together and have been racing each other since we were 10 years old.”

Blaney said he first encountered Wallace when they were racing in Bandolero cars, and then a year later, he met Chase Elliott. And then, they formed a strong bond together. In fact, when Blaney won last year, Elliott was there standing beside him to show his support and love. However, on track they are competitors and Blaney said that his buddies are his biggest competition. He was on a Barstool Sports podcast last year when he was asked about his rivals on the racetrack. He said, “I’d say more of my rivalry is like my buddies, who I grew up racing with. Like, we’re all good friends, you know, Chase Elliott and I, Bubba Wallace and I.”

Friendships are an essential part of sports, and so is rivalry. What are your favorite rivalries/friendships in NASCAR? Let us know!