Rupak Kumar Jha is an All-Hands Editor at Essentially Sports. He has completed his degree in journalism and mass communication and has spent more than three years of his life working in the field. In his professional capacity, Rupak Kumar Jha has worked on more than 10,000 articles across various content verticals. As a sports editor, he is committed to bringing forward unbiased and truthful details about entities and events alike, while aiming to educate, engage, and capture the hearts of millions of sports lovers.

Rupak Kumar Jha follows MLB religiously and also loves to play cricket. When not busy, he loves to play guitar and sing. Rupak’s favorite genre is sci-fi and his favorite movie is Interstellar. With his PlayStation controller in his hand, he becomes a formidable soldier running through storms of zombies and insurgents.

 It’s not only the Cup Series where controversies are formed. The Xfinity Series [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-xfinity-series/] gets its fair share of drama and in a true NASCAR sense, situations get heated. Many fans were unhappy with Corey Heim’s decision to push Austin Hill, as the Richard Childress Racing driver used that to bag the win at Atlanta. Critics and fans were unhappy that Corey Heim decided to help a Chevrolet driver instead of Chandler Smith, who drives for his mentor’s team. Denny Hamlin has helped Heim reach the position he is in NASCAR today, so it’s only obvious that fans expected him to play to the advantage of Joe Gibbs Racing [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/joe-gibbs-racing/] to help Chandler Smith win. But when that did not happen, there was a barrage of unhappy fans who voiced their minds. Amidst all of this, veteran Denny Hamlin came in to defend Corey Heim. DENNY HAMLIN STEPS UP FOR COREY HEIM AT ATLANTA Denny Hamlin [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/denny-hamlin/] heard all the talk about Corey Heim betraying his team and helping the RCR driver win the race. When he got behind the mic for his podcast, Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin, he took time to discuss not only the Cup Series race where he had a P24 finish in the first round of the playoffs, but also the controversy from the Xfinity Series. Speaking about his prodigy, Hamlin explained, “I mean, it looked like Corey Heim had a chance to get to the front. Yeah. I think, if I had to sum it up, he was making the best move he could for himself. If you say you’re going to go down there and push Chandler off of turn four and go to the bottom, the top is obviously the preferred groove, right?” Hamlin explained that Chandler got himself into a strange situation where he did not have enough momentum to pass the race leader. The situation got interesting when the drivers went 4 wide, and Hamlin explained, “I think, very rarely, if not never, would the third-place guy, with no affiliation, choose the bottom line unless it was a direct teammate.” Explaining the logical choice that Heim had, Hamlin continued, “Corey then went to the high side, pushed Austin past Chandler, and got, you know, right on the edge of getting beside the 40 or Austin Hill. And then, you know, he got into the wall and finished fifth.” This sparked many questions about his loyalty to his manufacturer, and considering that Hamlin has been a huge influence on Heim’s racing career, fans wanted to know why he did not help Chandler Smith instead. HAMLIN EXPLAINS THAT HEIM HAS NO CONNECTION WITH JOE GIBBS RACING Denny Hamlin pondered what Toyota’s stance on the race would be, and after dismissing it as a tough situation, he spoke about Heim again. Defending the driver, Hamlin said, “Corey doesn’t have any alliance or allegiance to JGR, and JGR doesn’t have any allegiance to Corey.” Considering there are no loyalties in place, the No. 11 JGR driver explained that Heim did what he thought was best at the moment. Summing it up, Hamlin explained that Heim did what he had to try to finish second, and pushing Austin Hill happened to be his best bet. [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Corey_heim_52866847928.jpg] Ultimately, Heim had a P5 finish, which was better than what he could have gotten by assisting Smith and Hamlin takes that as a win for his prodigy. The podcast wrapped up with Hamlin saying, “I kind of see both sides of it; I really do. That pays your manufacturer, but I just don’t know if one has a connection with the other that would make me believe he should show allegiance to that team.” Considering the situation that Corey Heim was in, what do you think the best move for him would be? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Denny Hamlin defends Corey Heim’s strategic choice at Atlanta amid fan backlash over his decision to aid Austin Hill over Chandler Smith.

Viren Mirpuri is an F1 & NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. With a passion for
motorsports and a background in journalism, he provides authentic and
informative coverage of the racing world. Till now, he has covered multiple
stories on top drivers like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott. Starting with
simulation racing, Viren developed a love for the sport and now focuses on
sharing well-researched news pieces. While he enjoys writing about Formula 1
too, his true passion lies with Stock Car Racing. In his free time, Viren likes
to play iRacing and other AAA video game titles.

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Driving NASCAR Insights

Viren Mirpuri

Denny Hamlin Firmly Defends His NASCAR Prodigy Against Accusations of Betraying
Joe Gibbs & Toyota

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Jeff Gordon Remains Grateful to Dale Earnhardt for Teaching to Live Life Beyond
Racing Recalling Their Outing in Japan

“I Thought I Was Gone”- Ross Chastain Publicly Confesses Intentional Kevin
Harvick Crash That Left Him Fearing for His Well-Being

Kyle Busch’s Wife, Samantha, Went All Out This Halloween, Dressing the Family in
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Kurt Busch’s Driving License Suspended as He Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges

[caption id="attachment_589568" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-589568" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/20210322171739/2021-03-21T233527Z_323183572_MT1USATODAY15771333_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-FOLDS-OF-HONOR-QUIKTRIP-500.jpg" alt="Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson" width="1920" height="1280" /> Mar 21, 2021; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) passes NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) late in the race to take the lead for the final time at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2>Atlanta Motor Speedway- 2021 Latest News, Winners, Qualifying, Track</h2>
Atlanta Motor Speedway (in the past Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.5-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has hosted NASCAR Cup Series stock vehicle races since its initiation in 1960.

The initial scenes of the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II were shot at the track, as were scenes of the 1983 film Stroker Ace; a 40th commemoration stunt show to recognize the 1977 shooting of the first Smokey and the Bandit in close by Jonesboro, Georgia, was held at AMS in 2017 and went to by Burt Reynolds.

The track was highlighted in the 1982 Kenny Rogers film Six Pack. Previous U.S. President Jimmy Carter once filled in as a ticket taker at the track and went to a few races there as Georgia's lead representative and as U.S. president.
<h2>History</h2>
The setting was purchased by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 townhouses were worked over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to normalize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two middle ovals, the whole track was totally remade.

The frontstretch and backstretch were traded, and the design of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with another authority length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the quickest on the NASCAR circuit. It has a seating limit of 71,000 - 125.000 relying upon design.

The track facilitated a NASCAR Cup Series race end of the week yearly on Labor Day weekend from 2009 to 2014. The 2009 move from an October race date to Labor Day weekend was likewise joined by an adjustment in start time, denoting the main NASCAR Cup Series under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the arrival of Labor Day weekend NASCAR dashing toward the Southern United States.

Different features of the facility are a quarter-mile track between the pit street and the fundamental track for Legends racing and a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) FIA-endorsed street course. In 1996, the speedway facilitated the Countryfest show, pulling in more than 200,000 fans.

For the vast majority of the 1990s and 2000s, the track flaunted the most elevated velocities on the NASCAR circuit, with a common passing lap speed of around 193 mph (311 km/h), first posted by driver Breton Roussel on June 22, 1990, and a record lap speed of more than 197 mph (317 km/h).

In 2004 and 2005, the likewise planned Texas Motor Speedway saw marginally quicker qualifying times, and as the tracks' individual racing surfaces have worn, qualifying speeds at Texas have gotten reliably quicker than at Atlanta.
<h2>2021 Race</h2>
Ryan Blaney won the race, driving a Ford. Kyle Larson led for 269 laps, but Blaney overtook him eight laps from the end because Larson's tires were wearing out.

With Blaney’s win, NASCAR had its sixth different champion in its first six races of 2021.
<h2>Quick Facts</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="301">Location</td>
<td width="301">Henry County, Georgia, at 1500 Tara Place Hampton, GA, 30228</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="301">Operator</td>
<td width="301">Speedway Motorsports, Inc.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="301">Major Events</td>
<td width="301"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series</strong>

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Quaker State 400

<strong>NASCAR Xfinity Series</strong>

EchoPark 250

TBA

<strong>NASCAR Camping World Truck</strong>

Series Fr8Auctions 200

<strong>Atlanta Track Club</strong>

Atlanta Marathon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="301">Length</td>
<td width="301">1.54 mi (2.48 km)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="301">Most Wins</td>
<td width="301">Dale Earnhardt (9)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="301">Most Starts</td>
<td width="301">Richard Petty (65)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="301">Poles</td>
<td width="301">Buddy Baker, Ryan Newman (7)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Mar 21, 2021; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) passes NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) late in the race to take the lead for the final time at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports Atlanta Motor Speedway- 2021 Latest News, Winners, Qualifying, Track Atlanta Motor Speedway (in the past Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.5-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has hosted NASCAR Cup Series stock vehicle races since its initiation in 1960. The initial scenes of the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II were shot at the track, as were scenes of the 1983 film Stroker Ace; a 40th commemoration stunt show to recognize the 1977 shooting of the first Smokey and the Bandit in close by Jonesboro, Georgia, was held at AMS in 2017 and went to by Burt Reynolds. The track was highlighted in the 1982 Kenny Rogers film Six Pack. Previous U.S. President Jimmy Carter once filled in as a ticket taker at the track and went to a few races there as Georgia&#8217;s lead representative and as U.S. president. History The setting was purchased by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 townhouses were worked over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to normalize the track with Speedway Motorsports&#8217; other two middle ovals, the whole track was totally remade. The frontstretch and backstretch were traded, and the design of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with another authority length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the quickest on the NASCAR circuit. It has a seating limit of 71,000 &#8211; 125.000 relying upon design. The track facilitated a NASCAR Cup Series race end of the week yearly on Labor Day weekend from 2009 to 2014. The 2009 move from an October race date to Labor Day weekend was likewise joined by an adjustment in start time, denoting the main NASCAR Cup Series under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the arrival of Labor Day weekend NASCAR dashing toward the Southern United States. Different features of the facility are a quarter-mile track between the pit street and the fundamental track for Legends racing and a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) FIA-endorsed street course. In 1996, the speedway facilitated the Countryfest show, pulling in more than 200,000 fans. For the vast majority of the 1990s and 2000s, the track flaunted the most elevated velocities on the NASCAR circuit, with a common passing lap speed of around 193 mph (311 km/h), first posted by driver Breton Roussel on June 22, 1990, and a record lap speed of more than 197 mph (317 km/h). In 2004 and 2005, the likewise planned Texas Motor Speedway saw marginally quicker qualifying times, and as the tracks&#8217; individual racing surfaces have worn, qualifying speeds at Texas have gotten reliably quicker than at Atlanta. 2021 Race Ryan Blaney won the race, driving a Ford. Kyle Larson led for 269 laps, but Blaney overtook him eight laps from the end because Larson&#8217;s tires were wearing out. With Blaney’s win, NASCAR had its sixth different champion in its first six races of 2021. Quick Facts  Location Henry County, Georgia, at 1500 Tara Place Hampton, GA, 30228  Operator Speedway Motorsports, Inc.  Major Events NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Quaker State 400 NASCAR Xfinity Series EchoPark 250 TBA NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Fr8Auctions 200 Atlanta Track Club Atlanta Marathon  Length 1.54 mi (2.48 km)  Most Wins Dale Earnhardt (9)  Most Starts Richard Petty (65)  Poles Buddy Baker, Ryan Newman (7)

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Denny Hamlin Firmly Defends His NASCAR Prodigy Against Accusations of Betraying Joe Gibbs & Toyota

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Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin Net Worth 2024, Family, Controversies, and More Denny Hamlin is a stock car racing driver and team owner who has been competing in the NASCAR Cup Series for Joe Gibbs Racing since 2005.Â His first-ever race was at the Kansas Speedway, where he finished P32. The driver has amassed 51 wins in NASCAR&#8217;s top faction so far. One of his most notable achievements has been three Daytona 500 wins in 2016, 2019, and 2020. Hamlin was also named as one of NASCAR&#8217;s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. Besides his racing stint, he has also been the team owner of Cup Series team 23XI Racing since 2020, alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan. Denny Hamlin&#8217;s family Denny Hamlin was born to Dennis Hamlin and Mary Lou Clark on November 18, 1980, at the St. Joseph&#8217;s Women&#8217;s Hospital in Tampa, Florida. He has two older siblings, Kevin and Lisa Hamlin.Â The family decided to move to Virginia when he was only 2 years old. He was educated at Manchester High School in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The family might not have been the most financially stable one, but Denny&#8217;s parents&#8217; struggles to get him going in motorsports have definitely paid dividends. At the age of seven, Denny Hamlin made his go-kart debut and went on to win his first race. Before Joe Gibbs Racing took notice of him in 2004, he made rapid progress at the local tracks in Richmond, Virginia, dominating the Late Model Stock Cars, Grand Stocks, and Mini Stocks. He was signed to a driver development contract by JGR in 2004, and he took part in five Truck Series races that year before appearing in the Cup as a part-time driver in 2005. Denny Hamlin&#8217;s wife and children The motorsports veteran has two daughters, Taylor James Hamlin (born January 20, 2013), and Molly Gold Hamlin (born August 15, 2017), with Jordan Fish. Denny and Jordan are not married, and over the years, they have shared a rather complex relationship. While the couple had broken up in 2021, there were rumors of reconciliation doing the rounds. The two were spotted together at the 2023 NASCAR Awards Banquet, and Hamlin even spent Jordan Fish&#8217;s birthday with her in 2023. The couple got engaged on January 1, 2024, after Denny Hamlin went down on one knee. 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Motorsport USA Cup Series Awards &#8211; Las Vegas Denny Hamlin, Jordan Fish arriving for the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards held at the Wynn Hotrel &amp; Casino, Las Vegas, November 29, 2018 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAJMx 39974306 | Credits: Imago Denny Hamlin&#8217;s net worth 2024 As he is one of the veterans in the Cup Series today driving for one of the biggest teams, Denny Hamlin is one of the highest-paid drivers in the competition today. He also makes a fair sum from being a co-owner of 23XI Racing and through his sponsorships. From his on-track and off-track successes, Hamlin has managed to build a net worth of approximately $65 million. Denny Hamlin has had FedEx as his primary sponsor since he started racing in the Cup Series. Joe Gibbs Racing was also able to bring in the big names like Coca-Cola and Mavis Tyres &amp; Brakes. Denny Hamlin&#8217;s career timeline NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Before Denny Hamlin made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series, he was a regular face in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Making his debut at the TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2004 for EJP Racing, the driver managed to finish P10. He competed in four more Truck Series races that same year but failed to clinch a Top-10. Hamlin ultimately finished the season with 582 points, ranked 37th. After skipping the promotion in 2005, he returned the following year with Morgan-Dollar Motorsports and competed in a single race at Martinsville Speedway where he finished P8. That was his only race with the team. Over the next four years, Hamlin continued participating in single races each season for Billy Ballew Motorsports. His highest finish with the team came in 2008 when he clinched P3 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. However, the highest finish of his Truck Series career would not come until 2011 when he clinched a victory at the United Rentals 200 at the Martinsville Speedway, for Kyle Busch Motorsports, a race which Hamlin won again the next year. After spending three seasons with KBM, the driver&#8217;s last Truck race came in 2013 when he competed in the 2013 Kroger 200 at Martinsville, finishing P6. Sep 26, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) driver Kyle Larson (5) and driver Kyle Busch (18) race for position during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports ARCA Menards Series Denny Hamlin had a short stint at the ARCA Menards Series where he ran only one race each in 2004 and 2005. In his first year at ARCA, Hamlin was seen piloting the #10 Pontiac for Fast Track Racing Enterprises, at the General Tire 200 race at Talladega Superspeedway, where he finished third. However, 2005 didn&#8217;t prove to be a good year for him as the driver finished P36, driving a #2 Pontiac at the Nashville ARCA 150 at the Nashville Superspeedway for Joe Gibbs Racing. Denny Hamlin&#8217;s journey to the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup SeriesÂ  It&#8217;s like Denny Hamlin was announcing his arrival to the world in 2004 when he decided to compete in different promotions across the roster. Besides his Truck and Arca debut in 2004, the driver also participated in his first-ever Xfinity Series race for Joe Gibbs Racing that same year at the Darlington Raceway, finishing eighth. In an Xfinity career spanning 19 years, Hamlin has participated in 163 races and clinched a victory on 18 occasions. The driver also flaunts 101 Top-10 finishes in the promotion. However, Hamlin&#8217;s ultimate calling came in 2005 when he debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series for Joe Gibbs Racing. The driver has remained with the team for the entirety of his Cup career driving the #11. Revealing how the team became a stepping-stone for his illustrious career, Hamlin, in 2017, revealed Joe Gibbs&#8217; son J.D. Gibbs was the one who gave him his first opportunity at JGR. In an X(formerly Twitter) video, Denny Hamlin explained, &#8220;He&#8217;s the one who actually gave me my first opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing. We went to a test at Hickory Motor Speedway, called his dad up, they signed me about 13 years ago.&#8221;Â  The driver has participated in 650 races in the Cup Series till date, where he has clinched 51 wins and 340 Top-10 positions. Apart from that, the driver also flaunts 40 pole positions. Denny Hamlinâ€™s Partnerships and Endorsements Denny Hamlin has had a plethora of sponsorships over the years. Among the most notable is his long-standing relationship with FedEx which dates back to 2005 when he made his Cup Series debut. The conglomerate has served as the primary sponsor for the driver for over 30 races every year. However, in recent times, that number has come down significantly. The driver has also had a sponsorship with Coca-Cola and sported the brand on his car for the first time at the 2022 Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hamlin&#8217;s other sponsors include Yahoo!, Shingrix, and Mavis Tyres &amp; Brakes, among others. HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA &#8211; OCTOBER 23: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) Denny Hamlinâ€™s investments Denny Hamlin is not just a full-time driver in the Cup Series. He is the co-owner of 23XI Racing with NBA legend Michael Jordan. Jordan and Hamlin announced on September 21, 2020, that they would be forming a Cup team to start competing in 2021, with Jordan holding the majority ownership. The team currently fields two full-time drivers, Bubba Wallace in the #23 and Tyler Reddick in the #45. Bubba Wallace was the first driver they signed after buying a guaranteed starting spot in every 2021 race after purchasing a charter from Germain Racing. Hamlin and Wallace are two of the most outspoken individuals in the Cup Series, and even the people they work closely with aren&#8217;t afraid to speak up, making it a feisty combo. As a team owner, Hamlin is a fan of NASCAR&#8217;s charter system as he believes it to be a lifeline for owners. The team was later expanded to two drivers, and Tyler Reddick joined in. The name, 23XI, is an amalgamation of Jordan&#8217;s most-used jersey number (23) and the JGR car number which Hamlin drives (11). The team has a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. Denny Hamlinâ€™s NASCAR career stats Ever since Denny Hamlin&#8217;s debut in NASCAR in 2004, the driver has been a regular face in the circuit for around 18 years. While Hamlin started his Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series career in 2004, he was seen in a Cup race for the first time in 2005. Over his illustrious career, Denny Hamlin has participated in a staggering 650 races in the NASCAR Cup Series as of August 30, 2023. He has been to clinch victory on 51 occasions and also featured 340 times in the Top-10. Apart from that, Hamlin has also secured 40 pole positions during that time. As for his Xfinity series career, the driver has had 163 race features as of August 30, 2023. Emerging victorious in 18 races, Hamlin has been able to secure a pole position in 21 races with 101 Top-10s. Denny Hamlin&#8217;s Truck series career has been his least elaborate one among the Top 3 NASCAR promotions. The driver has participated in only 16 races over 9 years. With two wins and 10 Top-10s, the driver has secured a pole position only once. Â Denny Hamlin records With a career spanning almost two decades, Denny Hamlin has successfully proven his dominance in the sport. With 51 all-time wins as of December 2023, the driver sits at a comfortable 13th position just behind the Petty family patriarch, Lee Petty on the All-Time NASCAR Cup Series Wins List. Apart from that, the #11 JGR driver has taken a victory lap in the Daytona 500 race thrice in his career with two of those wins in successive years. Beating the likes of Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, Hamlin&#8217;s first Daytona 500 win came in 2016. Subsequently, the driver went on to win the crown jewel race again in 2019 and 2020. However, those are not Denny Hamlin&#8217;s only crown-jewel race victories. The driver emerged victorious in the Cook Out Southern 500 race held at the iconic Darlington Raceway in 2010, 2017, and 2021. Apart from that, he also won the Coca-Cola 600 race in 2022, his first and only victory in the revered event. However, Hamlin has yet to secure his maiden Brickyard 400 victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Denny Hamlin&#8217;s major achievements and awards Denny Hamlin, undoubtedly, forms the crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me of stock car racing today. The veteran has several accolades to show for it as well. However, one of his most significant achievements came in 2023 when he was added to the list of NASCAR&#8217;s 75 Greatest Drivers list. Making his place among icons like Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon, Hamlin has almost reached the pinnacle of his stock car racing career. Denny Hamlin also won the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Rookie of the Year award in 2006. With 330 points and two race wins, he beat Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr who were second and third on the list with 271 and 243 points respectively. Also in the running that year were Reed Sorenson, JJ Yeley, and David Stremme, who secured 222, 213, and 192 points respectively. Denny Hamlin and his controversial &#8216;Family Guy&#8217; tweet Hamlin has often been surrounded with controversy but there have been moments when he has taken things a tad too far. One such moment was when he posted a Family Guy meme about Kyle Larson that was cause for outrage among a lot of people. The JGR man tweeted it after Larson&#8217;s ambitious move at Talladega in the 2022 Cup Series went wrong and he ended up wrecking. The video Hamlin posted was of an offensive Asian stereotype and given Kyle Larson was half-Japanese, very few people found it funny. Denny Hamlin eventually took down the tweet after a lot of backlash and apologized for his actions on social media.Â &#8220;I took down a post I made earlier today after reading some of the comments. It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive. It came across totally wrong. I apologize,&#8221;Â he wrote. However, NASCAR still decided to send him to sensitivity training as a result. Denny Hamlin and his relationship with Kyle Busch Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin might have been teammates but the two were never really fond of one another. Both drivers were aggressive and outspoken and that often turned out to be a recipe for disaster. When they were at Joe Gibbs Racing, the two raced each other on track on multiple occasions and things did not always end up well. As Rowdy made the jump to Richard Childress Racing, neither of them had to pretend to be nice to the other in public since they weren&#8217;t teammates anymore. Early on in the 2023 season, Kyle Busch said that there was a lack of respect among drivers in the NASCAR garage, something that wasn&#8217;t the case back in the day. He did not take any names but the whole conversation was in light of Denny Hamlin intentionally wrecking Ross Chastain in the first Phoenix race of the year.Â &#8220;We have completely lost any sense of respect in the garage between the drivers at all. Thatâ€™s where the problem lies. Nobody gives two ***** about anybody else. Itâ€™s just a problem where everybody takes advantage of everybody as much as they can. Weâ€™re all selfish, granted. But there was an etiquette that once did live here,&#8221;Â he said. Kyle Busch did not leave Joe Gibbs Racing on the best of terms and while some may speculate that Denny Hamlin may have one of the reasons, there were a lot more pressing matters. Money and performance were certainly a lot higher on that list than a teammate. Feb 20, 2022; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) drafts with driver Kyle Busch (18) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports Denny Hamlin embraces his â€œvillainâ€ crown Denny Hamlin has been branded as the new villain of NASCAR and he has embraced that title with open arms. One of the people who he had some beef with in the 2023 season is Kyle Larson. The two raced hard in the final lap of the first Kansas race of the season for the lead. With just one turn remaining, Hamlin made slight contact with Larson which nudged him into the wall. Thankfully, the HMS man was able to maintain his composure but Hamlin had passed him for the lead by then and he won the race. The two drivers had a tense moment in Pocono, however. When the race restarted with less than 10 laps remaining. The two were battling for the lead and Hamlin pushed Larson up the track and into the wall. After the race, the HMS driver expressed his dissatisfaction with his JGR counterpart with a seething tirade. â€œIâ€™ve been cost a lot of good finishes by him throughout my career, and I know he says I race a certain way, but I donâ€™t think Iâ€™ve ever had to apologize to him about anything. So, not that Iâ€™m sure heâ€™s going to say sorry after this, but it is what it is,&#8221;Â he said. Turns out the HMS man was frustrated with both his racing and how Hamlin is on the Actions Detrimental podcast. Being booed everywhere he goes and branded as NASCAR&#8217;s villain may be unnerving to some people but Denny Hamlin has embraced the dark side.Â â€œI think there was a time to uh reel that back in but I just think that thereâ€™s no going back at this point,&#8221;Â he had said about the matter. Denny Hamlinâ€™s plans for retirement Denny Hamlin is 43-years-old in 2023. A lot of people may suggest retirement is on the horizon for the JGR man but given Hamlin&#8217;s attitude, he has shown zero signs of even thinking about hanging up his boots. The #11 driver signed a multi-year deal with Joe Gibbs which will start from the 2024 season. It is safe to say that NASCAR&#8217;s villain is here to stay for a few more years. After all, the hunger for winning the Cup Series is yet to be satisfied. Denny Hamlin Social Media  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DennyHamlin/  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dennyhamlin/  Twitter https://twitter.com/dennyhamlin  Personal Information  Name Denny Hamlin  Born November 18, 1980  Place of birth Tampa, Florida  Nationality American  Education Manchester High School  Parents Dennis Hamlin, Mary Lou Clark  Height 6 ft  Weight 154 lb  Partner Jordan Fish  Kids Taylor James Hamlin, Molly Gold Hamlin  &nbsp; &nbsp;

Denny Hamlin Firmly Defends His NASCAR Prodigy Against Accusations of Betraying Joe Gibbs & Toyota

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