Denny Hamlin Quotes Dale Earnhardt Jr to Defend “Selfishness” Required To Flourish In NASCAR – “Not The Greatest Teammate”

Racing drivers like all other sportspersons have their favorite places to compete at. For Denny Hamlin, a modern great of NASCAR, it arguably would be the Superspeedways of Talladega. But what most people don’t know is there is something special required for excellence at Superspeedways that he borrowed from Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Talking to Danica Patrick on her podcast, Hamlin discusses a variety of topics about his career and his entrepreneurial endeavors. While talking about Talladega, he said, “It was just a mistake that I made and I have made so many in the course of my career. Making aggressive moves, you know. If you’ve ever heard Dale [Earnhardt] Jr say the way he’s found success on Superspeedways is being selfish. I’m not the greatest teammate on Superspeedway races.”

“I’ve found success by doing for myself. And so this year’s Daytona 500 I committed to pushing my teammates, so I’m thinking “I’m ahead, this spot is not where I want to be in. I see cars riled up and a wreck is coming, I should bail!” But I told these guys I would stick with them and I wouldn’t bail and bam I got a crash. So I just feel like in that type of racing you’ve gotta be a little bit selfish, but you have to make aggressive moves that sometimes come at other people’s expense,” the veteran explained.

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This mental aspect of racing, of winning, is something that outsiders to the sport might not grasp. But as Denny shows and explains, it is the essential difference between the race winner and those behind. Dale Earnhardt Jr showed it with his victories, and so did his disciple.

Denny Hamlin is not happy with NASCAR’s leadership

In this season’s YellaWood 500, Hamlin ended in a decent-enough 5th position. Given his affinity for Superspeedways, it was an expected result, so to say, but he didn’t run out of the car celebrating at the end of the race.

Hamlin has time and again raised issues with the safety of drivers and cars. Two drivers this year have suffered from concussions after wrecks. For Denny, the issue lies with the car design as well as with NASCAR’s leadership group. He said, “I know a lot of young guys are just happy to be here, but they ain’t going to be happy when their brains are scrambled for the rest of their lives.” When asked why the car was at this stage, he had a short and simple answer – “Bad leadership.”

Two major crashes have seen drivers off the tracks this season. Kurt Busch has been out of his car since his July 23 crash at Pocono while Alex Bowman continues to nurse the concussion-like symptoms he suffered earlier this month at the Texas Motor Speedway. Both drivers’ teams hope to have their men back as soon as possible, but no tentative date for return has been announced by either of the teams.

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There are no doubts about Hamlin’s statements and whether the design of the car needs working. NASCAR has seen what fatalities are possible when racing; one more would be an absolute shame.