Denny Hamlin’s 2024 Cup Series playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway was a disaster. Trying to avoid wrecks, Hamlin adopted an unusual strategy, but it backfired as he got caught in a crash on the final lap, finishing 24th. Frustrated, the 43-year-old admitted the poor performance was on him. Known for his aggressive style, Hamlin seemed far from his usual self.

After the race, he blamed his result on traffic issues and claimed he was only racing for 20 points due to his car’s condition. Longtime rival Kyle Petty wasn’t buying Hamlin’s explanation. Taking a jibe at the 20-point remark, Petty said, “I’ve never in my life you know all my years heard a guy go. Yeah, I am just trying to get 20 points today.” This criticism from Kyle Petty went as far as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and here’s what Junior has to say.

The disappointing finish at the Atlanta Motor Speedway has now made life difficult for Denny Hamlin. With 2 races to go, Denny Hamlin is just two points above the elimination line for the round of 12. Right in the mix with the likes of Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski. To put it simply, a repeat of the Atlanta Motor Speedway at Watkins Glen or Bristol Motor Speedway is simply not possible for the Joe Gibbs Racer if he has to qualify for the next round. This is the reason why talking about Denny Hamlin’s Atlanta performance is even more important.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his shock over how Hamlin raced at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Talking about it on Dale Jr. Download for Dale Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media, the NASCAR Hall of Famer had this to say, “If I am a Denny Hamlin fan and if I want look Denny’s probably come out of this okay, he’s probably gonna make it to the next round. This all gets forgotten. He’s just out of character. I don’t know how else to say it. I was a little surprised by that approach from him.” 

Furthermore, Dale Jr. also talked about the feasibility of being at the back of the pack like Denny Hamlin on an Atlanta-like racetrack. He said, “It’s harder for that strategy to work at Atlanta because the track width at a place like Daytona, Talladega. You got more room to kind of work your way forward. And It was the logjam that made it. He’s sitting there going okay. I’ve tried that strategy before. It is what it is had a bad qualifying, not going to be in a hurry, hopefully, there’s a lot of attrition there wasn’t that didn’t work in his favor.”

Not just this, Junior also mentioned why Petty’s assessment can’t be wrong and gives fans more reason to question Denny Hamlin’s situation, when he said, “People give Kyle a hard time when he gets critical and has a hot take but Kyle Petty has been around in sport for freakin ever. And he’s seen a lot of sh-t… And so maybe Kyle doesn’t have the championship or all those wins but he’s been around in the sport enough and observed enough racers and people doing things to understand yk how to give a reasonable take. And he is kinda spot on here. 

Over the years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had his own bitter experiences of running a race from behind. Recalling a similar strategy that he adopted during his career at Daytona and Talladega. He mentioned, “Listen. I’ve ridden in the back. Daytona, Talladega. I’ve tried that strategy. And failed. I sat in the back of 25 car pack in Talladega thinking surely they’re gonna crash and they didn’t and I rode across the finish line feeling like a fool.”

Dale Jr.’s take on Denny Hamlin’s average run comes as a brotherly take on the driver’s current performance. But Kyle Petty’s jibe may not be that friendly. Because the two races have been at odds with each other in the past.

Two differing ideologies

The contention between Kyle Petty and Denny Hamlin is about two different racing perspectives. Kyle Petty hails from a more conservative school of thought for racing. His father, Richard Petty, largely inspired his style of racing and carries a rich family history with his name. Kyle Petty believes that a racer should dedicate his entire racing prowess and compete at full strength. This enables the racers to be prepared at all times and enhances their control of the steering wheel.

Denny Hamlin, on the contrary, has been a racer with a firm belief in strategy and a data-driven approach towards racing. The approach is crucial since in modern-day racing, both the quantity of the races and the overall quality have increased significantly. With the advancement of modern technology, even racing has become a sport of fine margins. Therefore, the prevention of wearing and tearing off the body and racing equipment is crucial to modern-day racers.

What are your thoughts on the two racing approaches? Do you think Dale Jr. is right to call out Denny Hamlin? Do tell us in the comments down below.