For nearly a decade, one question has been lingering in the community surrounding the NASCAR veteran, Denny Hamlin. Will this be the year for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to win his first-ever Cup Series title? Despite being in the game for close to two decades, amassing more than 50 trophies, the championship has always eluded the veteran.

Now 43 years old, the #11 driver looks to make a stand as the fandom awaits the commencement of the 2024 iteration of Stock Car Racing’s elite tournament with Netflix’s docuseries, NASCAR: Full Speed, upping the hype.

While the series sheds light on the sport’s entities like Hamlin’s former rival Ross Chastain and his friend-turned-rival Kyle Larson, reflecting on his feature in the web series, Hamlin got emotional. Speaking to his Action Detrimental co-host, he mentioned how much he was touched by the directors revealing his career from a different lens – his father’s perspective.

Denny Hamlin relays how Netflix’s docuseries was “tough” for him to watch

Fans know Hamlin as a tough, gritty racer renowned for his cutthroat nature, even bumping his dear friend to win a race. To some extent, this nature of the driver can be attributed to his pursuit of his title. Despite being in the top-tier faction since 2005, amassing 51 career wins, racking up stellar wins across the sport’s crown jewel events including three Daytona 500s, three Southern 500s, a Coca-Cola 600, the JGR driver is yet to claim his first Cup Series title.

Besides his relentless pursuit, Hamlin during the last season rattled the cage big time when he poked a very hostile crowd at Bristol, rubbing salt in their wounds to emerge as NASCAR’s new villain. But as the latest docuseries hit the NASCAR nation, the community got to witness Hamlin’s soft emotional side when talking about his father.

Speaking to Jared Allen about the feature, he said, “From my perspective, it was, it’s tough to watch, I mean in the sense of I know how this story ends and I know you know how hard I wanted my… to me, I’m not much of a crier, okay?” He then revealed the time when the driver shed a tear, seeing Netflix’s brilliant direction, telling his tale from his father’s perspective. 

He said, “But I did when I watched my dad’s interview because you just get a little bit more perspective of what it would mean to them and so it was a different perspective for sure that I certainly think that they did a really really good job.” He also credited the production team for rolling out a well-executed feature, “I know Netflix really had the controls of this but was it so different and was it so good because they were learning on the fly.” 

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“F*ck that” – The other side of Denny Hamlin 

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Don’t let the emotional, soft side fool you. Hamlin can be one of the fiercest competitors on the track. Even though he has had various tussles with fellow drivers, ideally no driver wants to get on the veteran’s bad side, as he will quite literally return the favor at a moment’s notice. Love him or hate him, the driver of the #11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing and co-owner of 23XI Racing alongside Michael Jordan is one of the most polarizing figures in the sport. Denny is aggressive both on the track and off, and he’s never been afraid to ruffle feathers and there’s no denying his irrefutable presence on the field.

After “Rowdy” Kyle Busch left the mantle being NASCAR’s villain, Hamlin without hesitation jumped in to take it in a single stride. He did so when he brutally roasted a booing hostile crowd, raining down fingers at Bristol. His unapologetic self and his outspoken nature have the fandom on their heels. And that’s something he made clear right from the beginning of the new Netflix docuseries.

According to Whiskeyriff, the driver is reported to have said, “I don’t think that I show that much humility on the outside. I recognize it on the inside, but I think people see me as very cocky and brash. That’s fine. That’s my persona. I don’t want my competition thinking, ‘Aw what a gee-shucks nice guy.’ F*ck that.”

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin Flaunts His Michael Jordan-NASCAR Partnership as He Reveals Insane Jumpman Sneaker Collection

And there’s no wonder about that, after all, Hamlin dons the antagonist role exceptionally well, to the point that fans have been seen confronting the driver after races. Let us know your thoughts about the latest docuseries, and what do you think? Will this be Hamlin’s year?