Denny Hamlin Admits His Biggest Flaw, Leaving Out One Legacy That He Can’t Ever Achieve

The NASCAR Cup Series is about to make a little history and (maybe) stir up a lot of chaos. The sport is heading across international lines, taking the action to Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Yep, that’s right! NASCAR’s trading ovals for a twisty, technical F1-style road course, and the buzz is very real. Fans are fired up, teams are scrambling to prep, and drivers? Well, reactions are… mixed.

Some see this as a golden opportunity to show off their road course chops and make a statement. Others are taking a deep breath and trying not to overthink it. The track’s elevation and tricky corners are about to test everyone’s adaptability. And, Denny Hamlin is keeping it real. For him, it’s not about the spotlight or the storylines. It’s about making it through clean, staying smart, and maybe, just maybe, surprising a few people along the way.

Denny Hamlin confesses his road course struggles

Denny Hamlin, fresh off a surge of oval wins and a record-setting performance at Michigan, has never been shy about expressing his opinions. He speaks from his heart. And his views on NASCAR’s road course swing are no exception. With the Cup Series heading to Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for its first international points race in decades, Hamlin’s perspective stands out. Hamlin’s not a fan of road courses, and he is not hiding it.

On a recent episode of the ‘Victory Lap,’ when asked about his views on different types of racetracks, Hamlin quipped, “Certainly the road courses still are less to be desired there.” Well, the stats back up his disdain for the tracks. Hamlin’s only road course win came at Watkins Glen almost a decade ago. In the Next Gen era, his best result has been at Glen, back in 2023, he finished runner-up, but the rest of the road courses have been a struggle. At Sonoma last year, his engine blew up, at Chicago Street Race, he finished outside the top 20, and even a trip to Watkins Glen was mediocre.

Moreover, Denny Hamlin added, “At this point, it’s how much time can I really put in it to get like a lot better.” At 44, Hamlin doesn’t have the luxury of time to improve his craft on the road courses, even if there are multiple events across the schedule. Also, with three wins already this season, he has secured his spot in the playoffs. And he knows going up against SVG, A. J. Allmendinger, Tyler Reddick, and Chris Buescher is like an uphill climb on such tracks.

On the personal front, Hamlin has been waiting for the arrival of his son and has been on a baby watch for two weeks straight. But the third week heading into Mexico could be tricky. Family matters more, and he is ready to skip the event in case of a clash. Even if he does compete, Denny Hamlin’s mindset is clear. This is not a race he’s circling as a must-win. Instead, it’s a challenge to be managed, a weekend to survive rather than dominate. “So we try to manage when we go to those types of tracks to get the best day, we can get as many points as we can and then just move on to our strengths,” he made it clear.

With Mexico City marking a new chapter for NASCAR, Hamlin’s honesty about his road course struggles and his ambivalence toward the event add a layer of drama to an already historic weekend. Whether he’s on the grid or watching from home, Hamlin’s influence on the conversation is undeniable.

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Denny Hamlin refuses to back down in NASCAR’s charter battle

While Denny Hamlin is gearing up for the Mexico City challenge, another, even bigger challenge looms off the track. As Hamlin navigates the twists and turns of the 2025 NASCAR season, he’s also leading 23XI Racing through a high-stakes legal battle that could reshape the future of his team and the sport itself.

After a federal appeals court overturned a preliminary injunction, NASCAR is now set to strip three charters from 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, a move that could force Hamlin’s team to compete as an “open” entry, losing the guaranteed starts and revenue that come with charter status. The financial implications are staggering: running three cars as open entries could cost 23XI Racing an estimated tens of millions in lost purse, TV revenue, and increased operational expenses over the season.

Yet Hamlin remains undaunted. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, he explained, “Yeah, this is just a part of the certain little battles that happened throughout the litigation. It does not have anything to do with the actual lawsuit itself. This was just essentially, we asked the judge to give us an injunction, to allow us to race chartered as we go through this. He gave us the injunction based off the facts, and then we had NASCAR appeal it, took it to the appeals panel, and they overruled the initial judge.” While the appeals court’s decision is a blow, Hamlin is focused on the bigger picture. “We’re checking out our options now, and we’re going to be racing this full year, no matter what, and look forward to our day in December.”

Attorney Jeffrey Kessler, representing 23XI and Front Row, echoed Hamlin’s optimism. “We remain confident in our case and committed to racing for the entirety of this season as we continue our fight to create a fair and just economic system for stock car racing that is free of anticompetitive, monopolistic conduct.” The legal battle is far from over, with a trial scheduled for December that could reshape the business of NASCAR.

For now, Hamlin’s willingness to absorb tens of millions in losses rather than give up underscores his commitment to both his team and the principle of fairness in the sport. It’s a high-stakes, David vs. Goliath fight. And Hamlin, backed by Michael Jordan and a resilient 23XI Racing, is making it clear he won’t back down easily.