Few drivers divide opinion quite like Denny Hamlin. As a fan, you either love him or absolutely despise him. And why not? The No. 11 JGR Toyota driver has worked his way to the top on merit, winning over certain sections of the fanbase because of his perfect underdog story. But, his outspoken nature and on-track altercations with Dale Jr., Chase Elliott, or Kyle Larson have also made him a ‘villain’. Our man has spun more cars on track than manufacturers do in their factories while painting the body!

Despite it all, Hamlin has embraced the image fans have of him, for better or worse. Given his talent on the racetrack and his forthright attitude, he is a figure in the Cup Series that cannot be ignored, eliciting strong emotions from all sections of the fanbase.

The curious case of Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin epitomizes qualities fans love to hate but also covet in a racer. Unlike many other drivers, the Florida native has worked his way to the top despite not having a famous surname or a big-ticket sponsor funding his journey. While rising through the ranks, the Florida native was a neutral figure in the eyes of motorsports enthusiasts, many of whom only recognized the racer for his promising results on the racetrack. Two wins and a third-place finish in the drivers’ standings was as good as it could get for Denny Hamlin in his rookie campaign in 2006, earning plaudits from analysts and fans.

However, things began to take a turn for the worse as he slowly began establishing himself at NASCAR’s highest level. In 2017, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver wrecked fan-favorite Chase Elliott at Martinsville Speedway in the playoffs, taking away the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s shot at the championship and earning him the wrath of NASCAR supporters. In 2023, the No. 11 Toyota ran Kyle Larson up the track at Pocono Raceway, and despite winning the race, Hamlin was booed by ‘fans’ on the track.

Reflecting on his unpopularity in the NASCAR circles, Hamlin said, “I think the two most popular drivers in our series – Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott – I’ve had run-ins with them. I think fans in general won’t let go of those grudges, right?” When asked if, despite being everything fans wanted to see in a racing driver, simply who he got involved with on the racetrack is enough to become an object of derision, the Florida native responded, “100 percent.”

Despite coming from a background that mirrors the majority of the fanbase, Denny Hamlin has become a victim of his reputation. He has taken over the mantle that was previously held by Kyle Busch of being NASCAR’s ‘bad boy’, even though he has not intentionally attempted to rub supporters the wrong way. However, it’s a reality the veteran racer has come to accept, going on to say, “This late in my career, I’m not going to change many people’s minds, for sure. I just have to be myself.” Could a championship win change the narrative in favor of the Joe Gibbs Racing driver? Perhaps we might never know.

Fans weigh in with reasons for hating on Hamlin

As expected, NASCAR fans didn’t hesitate to make their reasons known when a fan asked on Reddit why they hated Denny Hamlin. Accusing the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran hypocrisy when it comes to holding others to standards while escaping accountability, one fan wrote on Reddit, “He does whatever he wants, but if someone else does the same thing to him, he whines.” Another motorsports enthusiast doesn’t like the Florida native’s outspoken demeanour and went on to write, “He talks, way too much.”

A Reddit user went on to claim that fans were just looking for another scapegoat representing Japanese manufacturer Toyota since ‘Rowdy’ switched his allegiance to Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing in 2022. The fan wrote, “Kyle Busch went to Chevy so they needed another outspoken Toyota driver to latch their hate onto.” Holding a grudge against Hamlin for wrecking a Hendrick Motorsports fan-favorite, a NASCAR fan went as far as to say, “Denny is Kyle Bush on steroids. Denny likes to wreck Chase Elliott too.”

Denny Hamlin has never been one to mince his words or hold back his opinions. Apart from the post-race interviews, the veteran driver uses his Actions Detrimental podcast to express his thoughts on all things NASCAR, an aspect of his personality that doesn’t go down well with all fans. While drivers such as Elliott or Larson are the traditional ‘good guys, ’ Hamlin isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, which prompted one fan to write, “B-tch mentality,” when referring to why he doesn’t like the racer.