Denny Hamlin’s Hall of Fame case is rock-solid, even without a championship trophy. With 59 Cup Series wins, the most for any driver without a title, he’s a stat-sheet titan. In 2025, his four victories led the field, backed by stellar metrics like average finish and driver rating. Kyle Petty dubbed his Dover win “a Hall of Fame performance,” praising his restart mastery and turbulence-taming skill.

NASCAR’s own platforms buzz with fans calling him a “lock” for induction, pointing to his crown-jewel triumphs at Daytona and Darlington, plus nearly two decades of staying power. It’s a résumé that screams Cooperstown, title or not. But the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway stirred drama that tested Hamlin’s legacy. A last-lap clash with teammate Bubba Wallace cost them both, letting Chase Elliott steal the win.

Now, HMS legend Steve Letarte is weighing in, tying Hamlin’s aggressive move to what makes him Hall-worthy.

Letarte backs Hamlin’s Hall of Fame

On his latest post-race breakdown, Steve Letarte broke down the Kansas frenzy: “On the restart, you want Briscoe with Bell, Bubba with Reddick, but when the corner came, Briscoe climbed the banking saying, ‘I have to win.’ Hamlin shot out of a cannon with the same thought; he wasn’t thinking about teammates, just the trophy.” It’s NASCAR’s unwritten rule: when the checkered flag’s in sight, alliances fade.

Hamlin’s move, nudging Wallace into the wall, mirrors moments like Joey Logano’s 2015 Talladega block on Brad Keselowski, where self-interest trumped team play. At Kansas, Hamlin’s focus was clear: win No. 60, not helping 23XI Racing’s Wallace. Letarte sees it as pure racing instinct, the kind that defines a career.

“I’ve seen a lot of Hall of Famers, and not one of them was honored for pushing a teammate to the win. Wins and trophies matter, not helping the guy next to you,” Letarte said. Look at the Hall: Jeff Gordon’s 93 wins, Jimmie Johnson’s 83, Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s relentless style, all built on personal glory, not sacrifice.

Hamlin’s 59 wins put him in that conversation, tying Kevin Harvick’s 60 for 10th all-time. Letarte’s point is blunt, NASCAR’s Hall isn’t about playing nice; it’s about stacking trophies, something Hamlin’s done for years, from Daytona 500s to Southern 500s.

“Hamlin was chasing win 60, and that was all he cared about. Yes, he took out two Toyotas, but fans should celebrate his aggression. The day he lifts and lets the 23 by is the day we’ve lost what makes this sport real,” Letarte added.

Hamlin’s Kansas gamble, wrecking Wallace to chase the win, echoes iconic moments like Carl Edwards’ 2008 dive on Johnson or Ross Chastain’s 2022 Martinsville “Hail Melon.” It’s the kind of go-for-broke move that fans remember, and Letarte’s verdict is clear: Hamlin’s Hall case isn’t just numbers; it’s the fire to race hard, no matter who’s in the way. That aggression, even if it costs Wallace, is what makes him a legend.

Gordon feels Hamlin’s pain

The Kansas fallout connects straight to Jeff Gordon’s take, as the HMS icon sympathized with Hamlin’s near-miss. Hamlin owned Kansas, leading 159 of 273 laps and sweeping both stages, but his power steering failure turned the final laps into a brutal fight.

On the last restart, he shoved Wallace into the wall, opening the door for Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet to dart inside and win by 0.069 seconds. “Just super disappointing. Obviously, I wanted it badly. It would have been 60 for me,” Hamlin said, gutted by the loss that kept him from tying Harvick’s mark.

Gordon, no stranger to heartbreak, felt for him: “I can’t remember many of the ones I won, but I can tell you all the ones I lost. Those decisions haunt you, mis-shifts and bad choices on restarts, and whatever it might be, especially if it was on your watch or in your hands.”

He questioned Hamlin’s high-line move on Wallace: “I don’t know what was going to happen there if Denny wrapped the bottom instead of kind of using Bubba up, but I still think Chase had a great shot at it because of the new tires and the run he had going into three.”

Still, Gordon’s bullish on Hamlin: “Yeah, Denny’s having a great year. He signed a new contract. I don’t think he’s done winning.” With four wins in 2025 and a knack for big moments, Gordon sees Hamlin’s Kansas aggression, mirroring Letarte’s Hall of Fame nod, as proof he’s still a force, ready to add to his legacy.