The NASCAR industry boasts of several big names. While Michael Jordan is a name that resonates with all fans, irrespective of their love for NASCAR, Denny Hamlin also has his fair share of popularity. Hamlin and Jordan together are extremely popular as a duo and their power together is nothing less than tycoons. As the co-owners of the 23XI Racing, these two have built their fair share of dominance on the track till now. 

Speaking of their rise with 23XI Racing, an old foe of Hamlin seems to have let bygones be bygones. In a recent interview, the CEO of Speedway Motorsports shared his thoughts on the sport.

Marcus Smith holds Hamlin’s image high and mighty 

The NASCAR world would seem to be incomplete without some names and certainly, Denny Hamlin is one of them. Despite him not being able to secure a NASCAR Cup Series championship till now, the Joe Gibbs racer has gathered a significant fan following. After all, 54 victories across various Cup Series races is a feat worth remembering! Although, it seems as though this enigma of Denny Hamlin is not only applicable to his fans. Even his “Frenemy” Marcus Smith has a similar opinion to share.

A few months ago, an online spat broke out between Denny Hamlin and Marcus Smith which had led to cold relationships between the two. The feud kickstarted when Denny Hamlin took to his X account and shared a visual originally posted by NASCAR on Reddit showcasing the newly paved Sonoma Raceway falling apart. This incident also led to the cancellation of the SRO America testing at the 2.520-mile road. The same is owned by none other than Speedway Motorsports, a company where Marcus Smith is the CEO. Hamlin’s post read, “When paving on a budget goes wrong. NWB will be next”.

As soon as Hamlin posted the same, Marcus Smith fired back and there were no inhibitions at all. The post attacked Hamlin directly and read, “This is a great post from somebody who doesn’t know all the information. Ignorance on display for the world to see! (I will delete this tweet when @DennyHamlin sends me a text or gives me a call directly to ask why this is happening.)” Soon the spat turned into a full-blown escalated war with Marcus Smith and Denny Hamlin hitting each other. There came a point when Hamlin was even targeted for not being able to make it to the Championship trophy even once. 

Consequently, after such a big struggle it seems as though Marcus Smith is finally moving past his past negative feelings about Denny Hamlin. Smith was asked about which are the biggest players that take part in the iconic Coca-Cola 600 that has now become a part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway legacy. He said, “Rick Hendrick with Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing. Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin with 2311. Roger Penske with Penske Motorsports. They are the titans of industry and sports entertainment that have NASCAR teams.”

There is certainly no doubt that Denny Hamlin’s partnership with NBA legend Michael Jordan has been iconic. The two co-own 23XI and the team has been able to make some impressive strides. Tyler Reddick secured the regular season championship for 23XI Racing this season and also made his first Championship 4 appearance. 

The duo have also taken a firm stance against NASCAR’s monopolistic practices in their ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR. A beacon of hope for the community

In the ever-evolving landscape of NASCAR, Denny Hamlin’s dual legacy as a fiercely competitive driver and a visionary team owner, coupled with the recognition from industry titans like Marcus Smith despite their feud. This cements his position as an enduring force shaping the sport’s future.

Denny Hamlin reacts to NASCAR’s budget restraint measures for Truck Series 

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It seems as though not only fans and team owners but even drivers like Denny Hamlin are not happy with NASCAR’s decisions pertaining to budget control in the Truck Series. Recently, it was announced that as a part of maintaining the budget, NASCAR would be adding more races to the Truck Series. To add to that, NASCAR even added restrictions on the pit crew uniform to maintain safety regulations and reduce costs. 

This implies that no kind of sponsorship branding would be allowed on the uniform of the behind-the-wall pit crew. While it is done to protect both safety and costs, it can significantly affect sponsorship deals for the team owners. At a time when viewership and sponsorship have almost gone for a toss, this seems to be a measure that can be harassing. Reacting to the same, Denny Hamlin said, “Is there anything in the short term that can truly help the truck teams save money”. 

Hamlin was also seeing responding to Kevin Harvick‘s post where Harvick seemed to be quite shocked. The post read “What in the world is happening….” to which Hamim responded, “Its called cutting your way to prosperity Kev. Duhhh”. These changes have sparked widespread debate, with many questioning whether such measures truly benefit the teams or further strain their financial viability. As NASCAR navigates these turbulent waters, the balance between cost-cutting and sustaining the sport’s appeal remains a pressing challenge.