In 2023, the Hendrick Motorsports team had a less-than-stellar season. Only William Byron and Kyle Larson managed to pick up the slack for the team. Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman had issues with injuries and a suspension for the former. There was also another factor that proved to be a thorn in their sides, and that was Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has long had a bit of a reputation about him and is a divisive figure.

This season, Hamlin racked up three wins, though he agonizingly missed out on a maiden Cup title yet again. Two of those wins were snatched from right under Kyle Larson‘s nose. Meanwhile, he was a nuisance for NASCAR’s golden boy, Chase Elliott; to the point that a peeved Elliott broke and intentionally wrecked Hamlin. That moment of red mist led to a one-race suspension for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, and another chance lost to secure a playoff berth.

Can Hendrick Motorsports try to avoid Denny Hamlin?

On the race track, it is practically impossible to avoid the #11 driver. However, what they can do is try and race him cleanly, and hope that he doesn’t attack them. Hamlin has beefed with three-fourths of the Hendrick Motorsports team, namely Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson.

One only needs to remember that infamous scene in Martinsville in 2021, where Hamlin interrupted Bowman’s post-race celebration. When Bowman drove to the start-finish line for his celebratory burnout, Hamlin’s car aggressively pulled up, locked up the tires, and stopped right beside him. Both cars were soon nose-to-nose.

In later years, he feuded with Larson a couple of times with aggressive tactics. Finally, earlier in the 2023 season, he had his incident with Elliott. It isn’t the first time he has had issues with the Hendrick Motorsports star, having punted him out once.

Naturally, that resulted in him being disliked, as if he had committed a cardinal sin. Surprisingly, William Byron has steered clear of him so far. But whether that will change in the future?

HMS need to bounce back after a wretched 2023 campaign

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Without a doubt, this has to be one of the lowest points for Hendrick Motorsports. Regarded as one of the perennial strongest teams, it was an embarrassment to not see all four drivers in the playoffs. The fact that Larson and Byron were in the Top 4, while Elliott and Bowman were 17th and 20th, was humiliating.

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All of this means that when the 2024 season rolls by, the organization will be one to watch out for. This is because they could be stronger than ever and are highly motivated. 2023 was also one of Byron’s best chances to win a maiden Cup Series title and he came up ever so close. This comes after a rip-roaring season that saw him amass six wins, but still, no cigar to show for his efforts.

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