Denny Hamlin had a split-second decision to make during the final lap of the Hollywood Casino 400 at the Kansas Speedway on Sunday. He either had to stay loyal to Joe Gibbs and go for the win in the No. 11 Toyota or ease off the throttle and let 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace take the win.
He chose the former. The veteran cruised to the side of Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota, a car he co-owns with Michael Jordan, leaving very little space between them as they raced for the lead in Turn 3. An inevitable contact at this juncture caused Wallace to brush the wall and Hamlin to drift up the track.
Chase Elliott, who sensed the opportunity, sneaked through the bottom to steal the win from under both their noses. Ever since, there has been a lot of criticism against Hamlin for choosing to race his own driver in such a harsh fashion and foiling both their days. But he doesn’t see anything wrong with what he did.
He defended himself on “Actions Detrimental”, “I definitely won’t apologize for racing for the win. On Sunday, I am the driver. The person in the No. 11 car is the driver. That’s where the disconnect comes from. People expect me to be the guy in a 23XI shirt when I’m in the 11 car, and that’s just not possible.”
Sunday was about Denny the driver, not Denny the owner. 🤷♂️
This week’s Actions Detrimental is out now! 🔥
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Hamlin Admits His Short Window To Secure a Bigger Legacy
Hamlin gets paid a lot of money to win a championship for Joe Gibbs Racing. His decision to go for the win when it was right in front of his eyes cannot be faulted. However, he empathized with Wallace and explained that the only thing unfortunate for him was that he was up against a really hungry driver.
At 44 years of age, Hamlin has only a few seasons left to write his legacy. He said, “My mentality into the last corner is I hope I win. I’ve got 70 races left in my career, three opportunities left to win a championship. I can win a championship as an owner for decades. The window is closing.”
With the chance to reach the 60-win mark at the track where he got his very first Cup Series start in front of him, Hamlin couldn’t resist but go for the win, and he doesn’t regret doing so one bit. This hardness might have cost Wallace a win, but it has underlined the fine line that Hamlin walks as a team owner and driver.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Sep 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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