In the aftermath of the Shriners Children’s 500 race held in Phoenix, Denny Hamlin is back in the spotlight. Not because his vehicle number matched his recent P11 finish, but rather because of an upbeat discussion on his podcast show. The concluding race on the 1-mile course could have been more enjoyable, from the race fans’ perspective. However, the race kind of lacked excitement as unpreferable drivers took the lead in the victory lane following the Joey Logano crash.

In his recent podcast episodes, Denny Hamlin addressed these issues along with other topics. But there will be an extremely different mix of sprints and rivalries at the next Bristol Motor Speedway race, as Denny Hamlin is currently the track’s defending champion after winning the third playoff race of the 2023 season. This spring, the circuit will host racing without any dirt.

Denny Hamlin’s call for fan acceptance after the Phoenix Race

In a candid segment of his podcast, Denny Hamlin delved into fans’ frustrations with the racing dynamics after the Phoenix Race. Addressing the perceived lack of excitement, Hamlin empathized with fans. 

He remarked, “The fans were fed off with what the drivers said, a little bit in practice. And they had this thing under a microscope. And they looked at the race and said, Oh, it’s not better. Not better. It looks the same. It’s looked the same for a very long time, right?” 

His acknowledgment of the challenges of passing through these tracks echoed fans’ sentiments but also urged for a shift in perspective. Hamlin’s reflective tone continued as he emphasized, “Should we accept it as such? Probably should. I mean, it’s just a difficult track to pass on.” He added, “You know, and so it has been for quite some time. Richmond will be the same. I mean, it will. So we have to just understand that this is kind of what we have now, and let’s make the best of it.” 

His words echoed a sentiment of resignation to the current state of affairs while also encouraging fans to appreciate the nuances of racing at these tracks. Hamlin’s co-host, Jared Allen, further fueled the conversation. Jared chimed in, adding, “To me, it’s maybe just about how this is all presented to the fan… Clearly, Phoenix has no problem selling tickets to this race… It’s no surprise that they sell the championship. But then to sell out the March race, based on how we talk about this racing, always being so poor to me is kind of surprising. So clearly, something is working there, right? With the fan experience.” 

This honest conversation, spurred by Denny Hamlin and co-host Jared Allen, encourages fans to reconsider their assumptions and embrace the unique racing characteristics of tracks like Phoenix and Richmond. 

Can Hamlin again beat the other ‘favorite drivers’ in the upcoming Food City 500 race?

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Denny Hamlin, presently placed in the 10th position for the Cup Series Standings, is gearing up for his 35th race at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing’s driver holds a record of three wins at the world’s fastest half-mile track. The driver also holds the record of 8 top-5 finishes and 6 top-10 finishes at the Speedway.

Denny Hamlin presently holds the record for the third-best average finish of 6.3 at the Great Coliseum. Leading him in track records are none other than Team HMS’ top racers, Kyle Larson with an average finish of 2.7, and William Byron at 5.0. Larson and Byron are presently the top two rank holders in the Cup Series standings, with 141 and 134 points, respectively. Beating the top favorite performers is surely going to be on Denny Hamlin’s wishlist with the opening of the 0.533-mile track this weekend.

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In light of Denny Hamlin’s candid discussion and the upcoming Bristol Motor Speedway race, fans are encouraged to embrace the unique challenges of tracks like Phoenix and Richmond. While acknowledging current frustrations, fans can anticipate an exciting showdown at Bristol and appreciate the complexities of NASCAR racing.