In his 18 years of experience in the Cup Series, Denny Hamlin has undertaken NASCAR as a way of life. To date, he is one of the most able and talented drivers to have never won the championship despite going agonizingly close to it. Naturally, he has come to understand life as a driver in the Cup, the trends in the community, the shortcomings, and the measures of talent.

One thing that he has consistently maintained his faith in, is race craft, according to him. Elaborating on the same, Hamlin answers 12 questions for The Athletic, preparing a pre-determined set of questions for every race car driver to grace their initiative.

Denny Hamlin reveals the most important skill in racing

Among the twelve questions for Denny, one of them says, “What is the single most important skill a race-car driver can possess?”

The answer to his question has been disputed since time immemorial. Some would say it’s the mental strength to deal with adversities, some say it is the physical side of it, and some would suggest talent, but Denny begs to differ. In every sport, we have seen talents fail miserably at the top level, crumbling their careers, and the Coca-Cola 600 winner believes that there might be the right solution to it.

“Racecraft,” replies Joe Gibbs Racing‘s #11. “I believe race craft gets you better finishes than what your speed or talent level will. With cars and trucks and everything being so similar nowadays, it’s how do you manage the race? How do you out-think someone, play chess when others are playing checkers, managing those risks.”

What Denny refers to is the most reliable skill to have as a race car driver. Knowing the right step and the right moment to take it is an ability that can improve a driver by leaps and bounds. Make no mistake, it isn’t the sole skill that a racing driver can depend on to win races, but race craft might be the skill that can draw out the true potential of a car and its driver. Moving at the fastest speeds on the grid doesn’t amount to much if one doesn’t know when to hit the brakes.

“Race craft is one of the things that is probably easiest to learn. You can’t learn talent, you can’t learn the natural ability to get speed out of a car. You can get better at it, but there are some who just have an innate ability to be really fast.” adds Hamlin emphasizing the importance of clear fundamentals.

Concluding his answer, Denny Hamlin brings an uncanny comparison to the forum as he names the drivers in current times who have imbued the basics of racing into themselves as well as anyone. Kyle Larson finds a mention in Hamlin’s good books despite the recent tussle between the two while the other driver happens to be 23XI Racing’s #45 Tyler Reddick

“Back in the day, it was guys like Shane Hmiel. And Tyler Reddick nowadays, Kyle Larson, they have so much speed, and it’s the race craft, I really think, (that) gets you the finishes you deserve on any given weekend.”

Shane Hmiel’s story is one of the saddest falls from grace in NASCAR history with him possibly never returning to NASCAR again.

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The lesser-heard story of Shane Hmiel

Hmiel received a lifetime suspension from NASCAR in 2006 after he failed a third substance abuse test. The fact that the matter came down to a third test implies the gravity of his tale. The series of tragedies began in 2003 when he faced his first suspension after failing a drug test. Following the incident, Hmiel was enrolled in a rehabilitation program, which he successfully saw through. But he could only hold himself back for so long as his problematic behavior following his reinstatement brought him back on the radar.

NASCAR complied with another drug test and after another positive result, he had to be removed from the roster yet again. He worked towards coming back into the competition in 2007 and this time under more surveillance with timely tests and counseling. Alas, things didn’t get any better for him and he fell victim to his temptations yet again. As a result, for the final time, NASCAR banned him indefinitely erasing any hope of a revival.

Hmiel is one of the biggest examples of failed talents in NASCAR. He had 7 Cup Series starts, 83 starts in the second tier, and 29 starts in the Truck Series. He could have had a great career and showed promise with a win at Las Vegas early in his Truck Series career, but it all fell apart. As Denny Hamlin said, he did have the innate ability to be fast but his problems off the track are what brought NASCAR’s wrath on him.

However, fast forward to 2023, and Hmiel is a changed man and has returned to mending his mistakes again. Ad that too to an extent that NASCAR has returned the favor by giving him his hardcard back. An incredible story of determination and victory over one’s past indeed.

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