Amidst the prevailing buzz surrounding the renowned Indy race this year, NASCAR’s keen focus now fixates on The Glen, anticipating another enthralling road race spectacle. True to NASCAR tradition, the echoes of last weekend’s discourse linger, unabating. Post-race content continues to infiltrate the community, as aficionados revel in an abundant content cascade. A recent addition is the ’12 Questions Podcast,’ hosted by The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck.

This week’s spotlight shines on the seasoned veteran of Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin. The podcast revealed the person who would leave Hamlin starstruck, his response inadvertently eclipsing even his affiliation with the Basketball Hall of Famer, co-steering the ship at 23XI Racing.

Denny Hamlin dismisses Michael Jordan from the GOAT pedestal

During the conversation, when Gluck posed the question, “Who is somebody you would be starstruck by when meeting them?” Hamlin promptly responded with Washington’s name. Denny Hamlin revealed that encountering Denzel Washington would trigger a profound starstruck sensation. Hamlin lauded Washington as the ultimate acting virtuoso. Washington’s on-screen presence invoked sheer cinematic enchantment, consistently delivering performances that resonate deeply.

Hamlin admires Washington’s chameleon-esque capacity to seamlessly morph into diverse characters, a skill that Hamlin finds particularly enthralling. For Hamlin, Denzel Washington emerges as the quintessential figure who embodies the apex of acting prowess, earning the esteemed title of the GOAT. “Denzel Washington. To me, he’s just the GOAT of all acting. Just everything he’s in is just amazing. I love the ability to change characters. He’s that guy for me” he added.

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An intriguing aspect to highlight is Hamlin’s potential oversight of his co-owner, Michael Jordan, a universally recognized sports legend whose name is synonymous with “GOAT” for many. Despite Jordan’s iconic status, Hamlin swiftly dismisses him from the GOAT pedestal, instead proclaiming Denzel Washington as his personal GOAT. This unexpected shift in allegiance underscores Hamlin’s profound admiration for Washington’s versatile acting prowess, perhaps overshadowing even a sporting giant like Jordan in his eyes.

Hamlin laments playoff consequences as McDowell’s victory dealt a blow to 23XI Racing’s finances

Denny Hamlin on his Actions Detrimental podcast, extended an olive branch, acknowledging McDowell’s prowess. “In my mind, you’re a top-5 superspeedway racer. You’re just, you’re really good. It’s not by happenstance that you always put yourself in the right position at the right time. I try to put myself in the statistically the best, make the best decision to say which two guys would make it,”  Hamlin admitted, discussing McDowell’s strategic positioning on the track.

Yet, Hamlin also unveiled a less optimistic consequence of McDowell’s triumph. He admitted, “Michael McDowell defied the odds and put himself in the playoff picture. What people don’t know is that knocked my #23 car out of the owner’s playoffs. Now Bubba’s [Wallace] in it but we’re not in 23XI [Racing]…Bubba is in on drivers, currently out on owners.” Consequently, while Bubba Wallace remains a contender in the drivers’ playoffs, the 23XI Racing outfit has been relegated from the owners’ rankings.

Amassing points across races, owners amass a notable sum, positioning themselves for a shot at the owner’s championship—an element substantially influential to team revenue. McDowell’s victory, which displaced 23XI Racing, now raises concerns over the considerable financial dividends that Michael Jordan’s team may have otherwise reaped.

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As attention shifts to the penultimate race of the regular season preceding the playoffs, the evolving standings pique curiosity. Can Hamlin and Jordan effect a reversal for 23XI, and what weight does this thrust upon Wallace?