He may not have won a championship, but Denny Hamlin is undoubtedly one of the most successful NASCAR drivers in history. A veteran leader in the garage, Hamlin has secured wins on 16 out of 24 NASCAR Cup Series race tracks, ranking in the top five in every performance category. Not one to rest on his laurels, the 43-year-old shows the same hunger and desire to succeed as he did after bursting onto the NASCAR scene in 2006.

As with any top performer, Denny Hamlin is always eager to achieve more, which, in his own words, is a ‘character flaw’ because he doesn’t reflect on his illustrious career as much as he should.

Denny Hamlin isn’t resting on his laurels

It’s no secret that Denny Hamlin is an ultra-competitive racer, and that has earned him quite a reputation with fans. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver started off as the perfect underdog, climbing through the ranks on merit alone, and achieving success with talent, hard work, and persistence.

However, Hamlin has since transitioned to a ‘villain’ arc, and he’s well aware of his on-track shenanigans. Whether it’s his rivalry with Kyle Larson, outspoken comments against colleagues, or riling up fans, Denny Hamlin is self-aware about his image and has long embraced it.

Speaking to Kenny Wallace on Episode 65 of Kenny Conversations ahead of the race at Pocono Raceway, Denny Hamlin said, “I look at my name or my face on the trophy for the Southern 500, and I see the greats of all time. I feel like I don’t belong on that trophy. It’s surreal to me that I’ve accomplished what I have in the sport. I just haven’t sat down and really enjoyed them quite yet.”

Criticizing himself further, the JGR driver added, “Which is a shame because I know that that’s part of why I work so hard, to do this at a high level. Because you want to accomplish these things and enjoy those accomplishments. I’m probably too big of a a**hole, like I said on my podcast when it comes to competition. This one’s not good enough, I need another. And I need another. I certainly feel like it’s a character flaw within me that I need to enjoy things more.”

It’s part of that hunger that keeps Denny Hamlin going, and the 43-year-old has already won three races in the NASCAR Cup Series so far this season, with seven top-5 and eight top-10 results in 20 races. The 43-year-old hasn’t just gone wheel-to-wheel with younger drivers such as Kyle Larson or Christopher Bell but also outperformed them in many instances this season. However, Hamlin’s reasons for not feeling like he belongs with NASCAR’s all-time greats may stem from a different reason altogether.

Unlike his rivals, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin hasn’t won a championship yet. And that may be playing on his mind and a reason behind the ‘hunger’ to continue winning races instead of reflecting on what has otherwise been a very successful career.

It could also be the very reason his ultra-competitive racing spirit comes from, considering that, at the age of 43, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver feels like the clock is ticking for him to finally get his hands on the coveted trophy.

Hated, adored, but never ignored

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NASCAR fans have always had a love-hate relationship with Denny Hamlin. Whatever fans might feel about him, it’s undeniable that he has become an influential figure in the sport. Whether it’s through his on-track performances, his views on the Actions Detrimental show, or the many controversies in his career, Denny Hamlin enjoys the image that has been cultivated, using Michael Jordan’s career as an example to push himself to become a better racer.

“The rivalry that I have with the fans kind of at the moment, or the last year or so, has more just been the spirit of the game. Sometimes you need some self-motivation to push yourself to the next level. When you watch documentaries like Michael’s ‘The Last Dance’, the things he would make up in his own head that people said about him that weren’t actually true, he used that as motivation to push himself harder. I feel like I do that sometimes with the race fans”, said Denny Hamlin on the Kenny Conversations.

As things stand, Denny Hamlin is more than just a NASCAR driver. The day will come when he finally hangs up his boots, calls it a day, and finally reflects on all that he has achieved in his long but illustrious career. One thing’s for sure, Hamlin desperately wants to surpass his own limits, and finally get his hands on a championship trophy.

Whether he uses his on-track rivalries, or fans’ views as motivation to make that happen is a choice only he can make. Until then, we must all sit back and enjoy one of NASCAR’s greats in action every weekend! Do you think Denny Hamlin could win a championship this season? If not then who is your championship favorite?