Denny Hamlin sits comfortably at third in the NASCAR playoffs with four wins this season, giving him a solid shot at the championship. His successes at Martinsville, Darlington, Michigan, and Dover have kept the No. 11 Toyota in contention. With the playoffs locked in, Hamlin turned to a fresh pursuit off the track, and recently shared how that escape hasn’t gone quite as planned.

Like Dale Earnhardt Sr., who once tossed country singer Kix Brooks off his boat into chummed waters during a fishing trip, NASCAR stars often chase quirky hobbies away from the speedway.

Earlier this year, Denny Hamlin’s fishing fixation made headlines when he was caught on camera trading shouts and laughter with Charlie, a common friend of him and his fiancee Jordan Fish, as a bass slipped under the dock. “No, no! He’s under the dock, Denny! Oh my God!” Charlie yelled, as Hamlin scrambled. The clip, filmed by Jordan and shared on social media back in June, quickly drew laughs from fans and added another chapter to Hamlin’s off-track adventures.

But the lighthearted dockside moment was just the beginning, Hamlin’s fishing misadventures took a more frustrating turn in Daytona, and he didn’t hold back when recounting them.

Denny Hamlin’s fishing frustrations spill out

On his podcast “Actions Detrimental,” Denny Hamlin opened up about a fishing tournament in Daytona that left him reeling. He described telling the pro fisherman guide, “Listen, just tell me if you see me doing something or my bait is not correct; just let me know. But I feel like I’m getting unlucky.” The guide agreed, noting Hamlin’s misfortune stood out, even compared to others who snagged fish accidentally.

This came after the 44-year-old caught a few but couldn’t reel them in, highlighting a string of near-misses that mirrored tough days on the track. Hamlin‘s devastation stemmed from consistent bad breaks, like watching a bird snag a fish while his line stayed empty.

He admitted, “It’s bad. I caught a few, but I just couldn’t bring them in. Got them on the line.” The tournament, part of Daytona weekend activities, saw smaller catches than expected, with Kyle Larson winning last year’s event with a four-pound bass. Hamlin’s group hauled in tiny fish they hyped as records, but his empty hands amplified the letdown, especially after hyping the outing on social media.

The episode built on Hamlin’s growing interest in fishing, sparked earlier with Charlie’s chaotic dockside chase. Fans saw the humor in his fumble then, but this tournament turned laughs to sympathy. Hamlin’s luck evaporated completely, leaving him “devastated” as efforts yielded nothing, a rare off-track flop for the veteran racer.

That Daytona vibe carried over to other antics, including a playful jab during driver intros.

Hamlin hits back at Smith’s intro stunt

Mamba Smith, NASCAR’s chief hype officer, pulled a fake-out handshake on Denny Hamlin during Cup Series driver intros at Daytona. Smith introduced him as “the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota, the guy who thinks the playoffs are unfair, Denny Hamlin.” This nodded to their ongoing Twitter spat over the championship format. Hamlin, caught off guard, later confronted Smith backstage.

🙂pic.twitter.com/UqgHwZe2YM https://t.co/aJRkBIdqCg

— Mamba Smith (@MambaSmith34) August 24, 2025

Hamlin recounted, “I walked up to him and I said, ‘Hey, you know, that’s not cool.'” The exchange stemmed from Smith’s earlier Richmond comment that playoffs aren’t about crowning the best driver, which Hamlin disputed. Smith fired back online, “See you on the stage next week, Champ.” The prank added levity to Daytona intros but underscored their differing views on NASCAR‘s system.

Hamlin escalated on Twitter with, “It’s 3x Southern 500 champ to you. Make sure you get it right when you say my name.” Smith replied, “You’ll get what you get, smile, and do your princess wave regardless.” The back-and-forth, while fun, highlighted tensions from Hamlin’s playoff critiques. It wrapped Daytona with banter, showing how garage personalities clash off the track.