The 2025 season has flipped the script.  The No. 11 driver is known for embracing boos rather than chasing cheers. He doubled down after his WWT win, declaring, “ Y’all can boo me. But, you can get on the bandwagon or you can get run over by it.” It was a defiant moment that perfectly summed up his love-hate relationship with NASCAR fans.

Yet this season, that volatile dynamic has taken a surprising turn. As the finale draws near, the spotlight once again centers on NASCAR’s self-proclaimed villain. But this time, the energy feels different. The same defiance that once fueled the boos seems to have earned him a strange sort of respect. Hamlin’s unexpected appearance on the most popular driver shortlist has stunned even seasoned observers like Jeff Gluck, and, it seems, Hamlin himself.

Denny Hamlin reflects on what changed his status with fans

Speaking with Bob Pockrass ahead of the finale, the 44-year-old driver kept his answer short and simple. He said, “I don’t know that I’ve ever been in the top 10. So, that in itself was quite a shock. So, yeah, I don’t know what’s changed, but I certainly do appreciate it.”  

Ever since 1949, the National Motorsports Press Association’s Most Popular Driver Award has stood as a symbol of how NASCAR is bonded with its fans. Once decided via a select panel and now by public vote, the award celebrates drivers who truly connect with the community, and then Hamlin never saw himself in the picture. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver and 23XI Racing co-owner has long played the sport’s antihero, a sharp contrast to fan favorites like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chase Elliott.

And for fair reasons. Hamlin’s tendency to instigate the fans never left him. Just take the Michigan race, for example. After the sweet victory, Denny Hamlin gestured “OH” to the fans. By raising his arms to form O-H, he was tipping his cap to the allegiance to the Ohio State Buckeyes, adding an extra layer of showmanship.  And then Denny Hamlin hit the crowd with a, “Daddy, I’m sorry.  But I beat your favorite driver, folks.”

After all this, Hamlin never thought that he would crack into the top 5 of the most popular drivers.

Reflecting on the last time Hamlin felt his popularity skyrocket, he added, “I’m not really sure what it is. I think it’s probably a culmination of all of it. I think that sometimes things are in the moment as well. Like, I think that one of the defining moments in my popularity was Martinsville 2017, right? That was with Chase. That was a negative moment for the popularity. And then I think, you know, races like Vegas could sometimes have the opposite effect.”

At the 2017 First Data 500 at Martinsville, Denny Hamlin’s reputation took a sharp turn. Battling Chase Elliott for the lead, with a few laps remaining, Hamlin dove aggressively into Turn 3, sending Elliott spinning into the wall and ending his shot at a maiden Cup Series win. That move drew instant outrage.

Fans booed Hamlin relentlessly, even in his home state of Virginia, while Elliott retaliated by bumping Hamlin’s car after the race. Though Hamlin defended the contact as hard racing under playoff pressure, the crowd saw it differently. The incident ignited fierce rivalry between the two drivers and cemented the JGR driver’s role as one of NASCAR’s most polarizing figures.

The No. 11 driver went on to say, ” And so, I do think that, you know, people can only understand you for what they see on TV. And sometimes you rub them the wrong way and sometimes they connect with you. And I think that those were two moments that maybe that, you know, maybe turned the pendulum. I’m not sure, but certainly that was, it’s super unusual to see my name on the list.” 

But the fans have shown him compassion as well in Las Vegas. Denny Hamlin not only secured his 60th career Cup win but also encountered an unexpected shift in fan reaction. After climbing from mid-pack to victory lane and securing his spot in the Championship 4, Hamlin put his best foot forward. He said, “This is usually the point where I give the fans some shit, but not today. I appreciate all of you so much.”

A lot of emotions were running through the 44-year-old’s mind. His ailing father, a shot at winning the Cup title, and the 23XI Racing lawsuit: 2025 really tested Denny Hamlin. And now, as he reaps the fruits of his hard work and makes it to the popular drivers list, Hamlin has enough fuel to claim his 1st Cup title this time around.

Denny Hamlin races for his ailing father ahead of the championship finale

Dennis Hamlin, now 75, once mortgaged his Virginia home, maxed out credit cards, and nearly went broke to help his son pursue his NASCAR dream. And now, two decades later, Denny Hamlin has turned that gamble into 60 career wins and three Daytona 500 victories. The only thing missing is the one title that has always eluded him: a Cup Series championship.

As they head to Phoenix Raceway, Hamlin is again the sentimental favorite in NASCAR’s winner-take-all finale. He also made a heartfelt plea to the fans. But this time, the stakes are heartbreaking. His father, Dennis, is too ill to travel, and Hamlin admits the moment feels heavier than ever. Speaking to the Associated Press, he said, “I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment.” 

Hamlin has already made peace with past title disappointments, shifting his focus to reaching 60 wins, a milestone he achieved with a tearful victory in Las Vegas. Hours after the race, he was still emotional, reflecting on his parents’ sacrifices and planning to share the triumph with his father back home in North Carolina.

And now all these moments of hardships and successes have led to this very point. It is clear that Hamlin is driving for his ailing father, and that will definitely fuel his push to claim his first-ever Cup title. It’s only a matter of time to see if the No. 11 driver can do it.