Denny Hamlin keeps defying the odds in NASCAR, racking up wins at an age when most drivers ease off the gas. At 44, with 59 victories under his belt and over 700 Cup starts, he’s only the tenth driver in history to keep winning past that milestone. Few can match his fire, but one thing stands out amid the chaos of a grueling career: his bond with the fans hasn’t always been your typical love fest.

That dynamic shifted after his latest triumph at World Wide Technology Raceway in Gateway, where he locked into the Round of 12 and flashed that signature edge to the crowd. As Hamlin once put it, “You’ve got 60,000 people that are rooting against you… it just feels really, really good and gratifying to prove them wrong.” Drivers grab attention in all sorts of ways, from heartfelt shoutouts to bold moves on track. But Hamlin? He’s channeling a classic playbook from NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip, who knew how to stir the pot and own the moment. So what exactly is Denny borrowing from the legend, apart from sharing the same No. 11?

Denny Hamlin masters Waltrip’s fan-fueled fire

On Spotify’s Herm and Schrader Show, insiders dove into how Denny Hamlin is turning boos into fuel, much like Darrell Waltrip did back in the day. The host nailed it, “It’s like a Darrell Waltrip deal. They are quickly becoming Denny Hamlin fans because I think the fans totally realize it. Denny loves this. You know, the fans at first, they thought they were getting him. ‘Oh, we’re going to get Denny; we’re going to make him be sad.’ Now it’s reverse psychology. He’s getting him. And it’s real.”

This reverse psychology isn’t new; Waltrip pioneered it in the 1980s, embracing his role as the sport’s top villain with brash comments that had crowds howling. Driving the No. 11 for Junior Johnson, Waltrip snagged three championships from 1981 to 1985, but it was his trash-talking that kept him front and center, turning rivalries into must-watch drama even when wins weren’t piling up.

The guests, who also go by the ‘Missouri Mafia’, backed it up. “Yeah. He’s playing that part just like Darrell did. And Darrell did it when nobody had really done it before. You know? He kind of, he invented that part. Nobody had done it in our sport big time.” Waltrip’s style thrived on provocation; take his 1989 All-Star Race wreck by Rusty Wallace, where Waltrip responded by saying, “I hope he chokes on the $200,000.” Fans also flipped from booing him to cheering his comeback, boosting his spotlight without a trophy.

Hamlin, wheeling the same iconic No. 11 that Waltrip made famous, complete with throwback schemes like the 2019 Western Auto paint at Darlington, is flipping the script similarly. After bumping Chase Elliott at Martinsville in 2017 or dueling Kyle Larson at Pocono, Hamlin leans into the heat, waving fans on with lines like “That’s all you’ve got?” It amps up the energy, making every victory feel like a personal payback and keeping him buzzing in headlines.

The host zoomed in on the stats to show why this matters now: “Five wins for Denny Hamlin in 2025. When we started this year, I remember here on Herm and Schrader, we said, ‘Man, he’s got to win a lot of races this year to get to 60.’ Damn. Five wins in 2025. That brings win 59.” Hitting 60 would crack the top 10 all-time, but at 713 starts, Hamlin’s still surging; his Gateway win led the final 25 laps from pole, proving the trick works.

Fans might boo louder, but that noise translates to motivation, echoing Waltrip’s era when the media was limited and personal jabs built loyalty. It’s a calculated play: antagonize to engage, win to silence, and stay relevant in a sport that loves its anti-heroes.

This fan game keeps Hamlin sharp, but off the track, bigger storms are brewing that test his resolve even more.

Hamlin powers through off-track turmoil

Denny Hamlin’s season has been a masterclass in focus, leading the Cup standings with 2,120 points, and those five victories propelling him deep into the playoffs. Yet, shadows from an antitrust lawsuit loom large. 23XI Racing, the team he co-owns with Michael Jordan, joined Front Row Motorsports in suing NASCAR over the charter agreement, alleging monopolistic practices that stifle competition. Filed last year, the suit seeks fairer revenue shares and has sparked debates about the sport’s future, but Hamlin hasn’t let it derail his drive.

His crew chief, Chris Gayle, sees it firsthand: “I don’t hear anything about the lawsuit or what’s going on at home. It’s totally focused on the race car, on the 11 car, and on what we need to do to make it better.” Gayle’s words highlight Hamlin’s compartmentalization; while legal battles rage in courtrooms, he’s out there leading laps and outmaneuvering rivals on ovals.

That tunnel vision paid off at Gateway, where Hamlin’s strategy sealed his Round of 12 spot, but the pressure mounts with heavyweights like Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports lurking. Hamlin keeps it real on his Actions Detrimental podcast. “I still think it’s anyone’s race.” This fifth season with at least five wins, last done in 2020, shows his edge hasn’t dulled, even as the lawsuit drags on without resolution.

NASCAR officials have pushed back, calling the claims baseless, but Hamlin’s silence on specifics speaks volumes; he’s channeling energy into the championship hunt, where he’s chased the title nine times without a crown and where he came in the top 5. Teammate Chase Briscoe‘s strong run adds internal heat, yet Hamlin’s consistency, with 12 top-five finishes this year, keeps him atop the points.

The stakes feel sky-high as playoffs intensify, with Hamlin eyeing that elusive ring amid the noise. For a driver who’s thrived on proving doubters wrong, these distractions only sharpen his edge, setting up a showdown where focus could finally deliver glory.