Denny Hamlin Makes Martin Truex Jr Follow Chase Elliott’s Footsteps, but It Backfires Leaving HMS’ Golden Boy’s Space Empty

After Darlington, playoffs seem to be shifting gears as we head to Kansas Speedway for the second race of round 16. This track holds memories of the earlier clash between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson and their post-race fight. The race was no stranger to on-track drama either, with a staggering 12 cautions, and a last-lap pass by Denny Hamlin, on Kyle Larson.

Now, before another potentially intense race, fans have found something to laugh about, thanks to the Joe Gibbs Racing spearheads. It was a recent playful exchange between Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr that caught fans’ attention, but it may just leave Chase Elliott unimpressed.

Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr’s playful exchange that would leave Chase Elliott scratching his head

As you might be aware, the tradition of playoff beard, a practice dating back to the early 1980s, has deep roots in sports, especially in the NHL. It’s a symbol of the players’ unwavering dedication, with personal hygiene taking a backseat to the pursuit of the ultimate prize. In brief, it is more or less a superstition among male athletes to not shave their beards during the playoffs. But what does that have to do with NASCAR, you may ask?

In a lighthearted moment ahead of Kansas, Denny Hamlin added a playful twist to this tradition, by sending Martin Truex Jr a written question.

It read, “I think you should grow a playoff beard, like let it go..”

The question came with two potential responses: yes or no. Truex, however, couldn’t resist adding a humorous third option.

He said, “How about this third option?” and wrong on the paper, “If you [Hamlin] do,” before passing it back.

Denny Hamlin, upon reading this response, chuckled and replied, “Can’t do it. I’ve got too much grey in my beard.” Well, it is none other than HMS Golden Boy, Chase Elliott, who has often been spotted sporting a playoff beard. But this time, he sadly has no reason to grow one. He would have grown the beard had he not missed the initial 7 races in the season and qualified for the playoffs.

With Elliott not participating in the tradition, and both JGR drivers not being ready for the same, it seems we will have no ‘playoff beard’ driver this season.

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Despite not being in the playoffs, Chase Elliott is still hunting for a NASCAR championship

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Chase Elliott faced a challenging year, and his last hope for making the playoffs hinged on a win at Daytona. But now, with his driver championship hopes out of reach, he’s shifted his focus to pursuing another championship. This one will be for Rick Hendrick, who already boasts 14 owner championships.

As reported by Charlotteobserver.com, Chase Elliott, speaking on his adversities of 2023, said, “But it’s not just a throwaway. We’re still racing for something. I would love to just completely take a reset and try really hard to do things way differently.”

Hendrick Motorsports is on the verge of reaching a milestone with 299 wins in the Cup series. It’s quite possible that Kansas could be the venue for their 300th victory. So who do you think will drive to victory lane and make their way to the next round?

READ MORE: $1 Billion Worth Rick Hendrick Adds Another Feather to His Cap As HMS Breaches a Major Milestone