“I thrive in the chaos,” Denny Hamlin says, heading into Talladega amid NASCAR lawsuit


Credit: Morgan Taylor for Skirts and Scuffs 

Denny Hamlin has had quite possibly the biggest week of his 20-year NASCAR career. He is suing the league alongside co-owner Michael Jordan and Front Row Motorsports’ Bob Jenkins. But he's not letting that affect his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 team’s goal, which is winning this weekend at Talladega Super Speedway and competing for the series championship. 


Hamlin said how he focuses on his driver goals amidst the active lawsuit as an owner within the NASCAR Cup Series is "pretty simple." 


“It’s more of a question for my team,” Hamlin said. “And I would ask them, 'Has their driver never not been prepared? Has he never given one hundred percent?' Never ever.


“I talked about it a year or so ago when it came down to this, and I started becoming more comfortable with whatever the result is, because I knew that no matter what, whether I win a championship or not, I always was gonna make sure that I could sleep at night knowing that I gave it my all for my team.


“Certainly, there’s been some circumstances over time that I haven’t been able to control, but I’ve learned not to let those situations affect me. Certainly, this is a situation that I can control, but I always give the team proper preparation and make sure that when I get in the race car on Sunday, they know through my actions on the track that I am one hundred percent in it and focused.” 


Hamlin recognizes that the lawsuit could be seen in a negative light because they're challenging the status quo, which has not been confronted until 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports pulled the trigger. 


However, he's fully focused on the No. 11 now more than ever, and he said that making sure his team has what they need is his top priority. 


“I think (crew chief) Chris [Lambert] is a great leader for our team, and he makes sure that I am prepared," Hamlin said.


“I’ve had many things that have been conflicting on my schedule for quite some time, but always if a request comes at the 11 team, it supersedes anything else. Chris will tell you; I’ll cancel whatever I have to cancel to make sure the 11 team gets what they need from me.”  


Hamlin has two wins and 11 top-five finishes at the 2.66-mile track. A win will secure his spot in the next round and allow him to have another chance at what has been eluding him for the last several years -- a championship. 


With two races to go in the Round of 12, Hamlin has all the tools to guide him toward that milestone: grit, passion, and maybe going a little outside the lines to get the task done. 

“I thrive in the chaos,” Denny Hamlin says, heading into Talladega amid NASCAR lawsuit “I thrive in the chaos,” Denny Hamlin says, heading into Talladega amid NASCAR lawsuit Reviewed by Courtney Horn on Sunday, October 06, 2024 Rating: 5