For 18 years, Denny Hamlin has shimmered as the crown jewel of Joe Gibbs Racing. Yet 2023 seems to have elevated him into a league of his own. After the thrilling curtain-closer of the first round at the Bristol playoffs, it’s clear that Denny Hamlin is the new favorite. While talents like Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, and Martin Truex Jr. have left their mark this year, Hamlin is clearly in a class by himself.

This sentiment found an ally in the ever-candid Kyle Petty. Speaking of “Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR season so far, Petty pulled no punches, even when it meant sidelining a fellow Rick Hendrick driver, just days after conceding to the prowess of Michael Jordan’s prodigy.

Kyle Petty doesn’t hold back on Hendrick Motorsports’ top driver

Never one to bite his tongue, Kyle Petty often makes headlines with his candid critiques. Whether it’s dubbing Bubba Wallace as “mentally fragile” or forecasting his early playoff exit, Petty’s frankness often paints him in a more cynical light than he might genuinely be, especially with certain drivers like Denny Hamlin. And now he’s at it again with another fiery remark.

Fresh off an apology for misjudging Bubba Wallace and Martin Truex Jr., Petty shifted his focus to Denny Hamlin’s stellar playoff performance. Despite Kyle Larson‘s commendable victory at Kansas, Petty suggests that Larson is merely capitalizing on the remnants of what Hamlin leaves behind.

He opined, “He (Denny Hamlin) had the best car or at least one of the best cars; I feel like the best car at Kansas that could have won there, and he wins at Bristol. I think what we have seen is Kyle Larson picking up the crumbs of what Denny’s leaving on the table right now. I am sorry—Kyle Larson is the best of the rest; Denny Hamlin is in another league right now; and I think he is in another league in his head.”

And he didn’t stop there. Doubling down on Hamlin’s prowess, Petty echoed a colleague’s sentiment, affirming, “It’s Denny’s year, until it isn’t.”

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Kyle Petty nods in approval at the bold stance of Denny Hamlin.

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In the vast landscape of opinions, it’s often said that “birds of a feather flock together.” For NASCAR analyst Kyle Petty and racer Denny Hamlin, it seems their unabashed candor has struck a chord. Both are renowned for speaking their truths, unswayed by public opinion.

During an in-depth conversation with Nate Ryan and Parker Kligerman on Motorsports on NBC, Petty shed light on what’s given Hamlin an edge this season. He believes it boils down to a radical change in Hamlin’s mindset. Elaborating, Petty shared, “No truer statement, than it’s Denny’s year until it isn’t. And that’s a great way to put it.  […]”

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He further added, “Denny Hamlin—the comments he made to the fans and to Marty Snyder after the Bristol race show ‘I don’t care what people think about me this year. I don’t care. I am not doing this for anybody else; I’m doing this for me. I am comfortable being who I am. I am comfortable in my own skin.’ And that’s the difference in who we see this year as Denny Hamlin going into the playoffs and who we’ve seen going in the past into the playoffs.”

And while fans might nod in agreement with Petty’s assessment, notably Kyle Larson, he remains a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, if Martin Truex Jr. manages to regain his stride in the upcoming races, even Hamlin might find himself in a tough spot, fighting tooth and nail.