“(Joe)Gibbs Fires Me?…I’ll Go Drive for Myself”- Denny Hamlin Reveals Longtime Sponsor’s Hand Behind Current ‘Villain’ Stature in NASCAR

Love him or hate him, one cannot ignore his presence in NASCAR. That’s pretty much Denny Hamlin in a nutshell. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran, unlike any other driver on the field, has an affinity for controversy. His Bristol rant, rubbing salt into the wounds of a very hostile booing crowd, has brought more eyes to the sport in recent times than any other driver has.

Even during the offseason, Denny Hamlin is still brewing up a debate. He recently dropped down to the Bojangles studio, sitting down with Dale Earnhardt Jr wherein he detailed his newfound liberty that came in after he embraced the dark side. Exuding pride, the 43-year-old shared how his longtime sponsor and his never-say-die attitude have given him a new sense of freedom unlike never before, something that prompted him to say, “I’ll go drive myself” if his boss Joe Gibbs fires him at any point.

Denny Hamlin goes on a ballistic rant, detailing the freedom his longtime sponsor has given him

Hamlin is one of those rare individuals who has a flair for smack-talking. No matter the situation or the circumstance, the driver’s outspokenness has always made him the center of attention. Now, couple that with his skill set, and you get a deadly combination that any sponsor would yearn to have.

Across his two-decade-long career in the organization’s top-tier division, Denny Hamlin has had a long association with logistics giant Fed-Ex, with the brand sponsoring him throughout his career for more than 30 races each year. While his contract with his primary sponsor, Fed-Ex, ends this year, his brash attitude and echoing confidence have brought more brands like Yahoo, Mavis Tires & Brakes, etc.

Now coming to the meat of the matter, during his conversation with Dale Jr in his Dale Jr Download podcast, Hamlin was asked what has changed this season, considering the wide range of responsibilities he has to bear. To which he revealed his psyche. He said, “Because what’s the worst that could happen? I mean, (Joe) Gibbs fires me? Okay, fine I’ll go drive for myself like, I mean I just think about what is the worst that can happen if I’m really true to myself.” 

WATCH THIS STORY: Hamlin’s hilarious Instagram roast after Ohio’s crushing defeat 

Furthermore, the driver added how his sponsors have played a huge role in this development. Hamlin said, “I think that you know having the same sponsor for a really long time kind of pushed to the edge of like, what are they okay with and what are they not?”

Here’s how Hamlin has made himself a brand that sponsors want to associate with

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As we mentioned earlier, Hamlin’s attitude certainly has made him a prominent face in NASCAR. While his “villain” persona has the fans talking, even his hard-core haters cannot deny his presence. And that is exactly what makes the driver stand out from the rest. Speaking to Junior about his change from say 3, 4, or 5 years, Denny Hamlin knows his position.

The 23XI Racing co-owner, adding to his take, said, “I’m more publicly myself than  I was in private always that’s just how it’s been and what we’ve found now is that the #11 car in particular, I’m not going to get into specifics but we’re doing as well sponsorship wise that we’ve been in a very very long time.” 

READ MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr Taken Aback by Denny Hamlin’s Uncharacteristic Admission About His Fellow Competitors

“And a lot of them was partners that came in a small little bit, love the experience, loved who I was, vocally with my podcast, the Bristol stuff, they loved it and they’re like, we’re in for more,” said the 43-year-old veteran mentioning how he has made a name for himself.

He further added, saying, “You know and so, it has turned now into a very positive thing where brands are wanting to be associated vs you know the counter to that is a lot of people do not want to rock the boat because they do not want to disrupt the sponsors that they have you know as far as like personal service deals and all that it’s we’re in a better spot that I’ve ever been in. 

With his on-track antics during this season, Denny Hamlin certainly has got the community talking, with fans eagerly awaiting the next season to commence to catch more of the action. Meanwhile, fans can expect a stellar Netflix documentary based on the controversialist soon.