If you’re under the impression that the recent shoulder surgery of Denny Hamlin might have tugged at some heartstrings, think again! No sooner had the ink dried on the announcement of his operation than he found himself under the microscope once again. On Sirius XM Radio, just a day after spilling the beans about his surgery, Hamlin was compelled to revisit the Pocono race drama. Despite crossing the finish line first, he faced a barrage of criticism over the Kyle Larson scuffle in the race’s dying moments.

Hamlin, in a bid to silence the critics, justified himself by being called a hypocrite. He made it clear that while he values the passion of rival fans, the track isn’t a place for making pals. In his eyes, it’s this cutthroat approach that separates the wheat from the chaff and leads to a trophy-laden career. In the racing world, it seems, you can either be a hero or a villain, and Hamlin’s not about to lose sleep over which side of the fence the crowd places him on.

Denny Hamlin acknowledges Kyle Larson’s emotions 

Denny Hamlin, while unpacking the Pocono saga, put it simply: in racing, when one wins, another must lose; fingers are quick to point. At Pocono, fate had him wearing the villain’s cape. He recognized the sting of defeat Kyle Larson felt and said, “There was a winner and there was a loser. And he got the losing end of a racing deals. And before people call me a hypocrite, “Oh, you condone this person when they wreck you.” Well, of course, I was on the losing end of a racing deal. And, of course, I’m going to be upset. And when I am on a good end of the racing deal, I’m not going to be as upset.”

He went on, “Now, I do have a sense of understanding why someone is upset. I’ve always acknowledged that. I get it, that person’s probably not happy. I understand, I’ve been in that scenario. I wasn’t happy either. But of course the emotions flip from you think you did right, you think you did wrong because what the result was to you.”

But Hamlin’s story isn’t just about trading paint on the track. Off the track, he’s faced his fair share of jeers and sneers. Whether he’s basking in the glory of victory or licking his wounds in defeat, he’s sometimes cast as the antagonist in someone else’s narrative. Yet Hamlin nods to the unwavering loyalty of fans who stand by their heroes, win or lose.

Watch This Story: Hamlin’s revelation: A twist in the 2024 championship tale 

Nevertheless, the 2023 disappointment saga does not end there for Hamlin. This season, he’s even lost the race to become the king of social media for a Spire Motorsports driver.

Joe Gibbs’ favorite misses the social media crown

In a surprising turn of events, NASCAR just a day ago announced that Corey LaJoie snagged the title of “Best Driver on Social Media” in the 2023 NASCAR Fan Choice Awards. The news raised quite a few eyebrows, especially since heavy hitters like Denny Hamlin and Rodney Childers are usually the talk of the town.

LaJoie, known for his ‘Stacking Pennies’ podcast, is a familiar face on social media. Although he’s not making waves with his online presence, he does spice things up now and then, challenging fellow racers like Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick to work on their shoe collections.

Now, all eyes are on Denny Hamlin’s next podcast episode. It’s bound to be an interesting listen, seeing how he takes this latest defeat, especially to a relatively new kid on the block, Corey LaJoie.

Read More: Days After Turning 43 Years Old, Denny Hamlin Reveals the Heartwarming Birthday Message From Mom & Dad