NASCAR, known for its intense rivalries, has a long history of competitors who have captured fans’ attention. In the past, figures like Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt were considered villains by many, but they eventually transformed into beloved icons. However, when Dale Earnhardt made the transformation, it left a void in the sport.

Now, after a significant gap, Kyle Busch has emerged as NASCAR’s latest polarizing figure. Whether it’s his attitude, driving style, or a combination of factors, Busch has garnered the title of the most disliked driver in the past two decades. Interestingly, a NASCAR insider has recently revealed that there’s a new contender for the role of the sport’s villain, challenging Kyle Busch’s crown.

NASCAR insider passes Kyle Busch’s crown to Denny Hamlin

Kyle Busch’s move to Richard Childress Racing this year marked a significant shift after his long tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing. This transition left a void at JGR, and it was Hamlin who stepped into that role, particularly this year.

However, the question arises: why this year, in particular? Despite Denny Hamlin’s impressive performance, the 2023 season has been marked by persistent boos from fans. This animosity seemed to intensify following the dramatic crash between Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin at the Coke 600. Even after wins, the boos continued, with the most recent incident occurring after his Darlington Xfinity win.

During a Door Bumper Clear podcast, a poll by Jeff Gluck was shared, revealing that 61% of fans enjoyed the Bristol race. When the topic came up, TJ Majors, an outspoken insider, pointed out, “Oh Denny won the race.”

Casey Boat then inquired, “So you think he single-handedly is the reason why people say? All of the hosts agreed with Denny Hamlin to be the reason.”

TJ Majors, said, “I went through this with other drivers that I had, if we won the race it didn’t matter if we passed the guy on the last lap flipped over start to finish line, people hated the race.”

TJ continued, “Joey. yeah if Joey wins or Denny wins the people hated the race.”

Griffin declared that Denny Hamlin had taken over Kyle Busch’s crown as the sport’s new villain and said, “Kyle Busch is no longer the villain around here, it’s Denny. And he’s embracing it which I love.”

In fact, after his 51st victory, Denny Hamlin responded to the boos in his own way.

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Denny Hamlin’s confident response to the boos

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Denny Hamlin secured his place in the next round of the playoffs with a spectacular win under the Bristol Motor Speedway lights. As he aimed for his first-ever championship title, Hamlin shifted his attention to the grandstands during his NBC Sports post-race interview, where he couldn’t ignore the chorus of boos from the crowd.

A reporter inquired, “So are these fans motivation for you? There’s a lot of boos out there.”

Hamlin, facing the booing crowd, responded confidently, “Hey, I beat your favorite driver.”

With that statement, he began to walk away, but another question followed, “Who would that be?” and Hamlin remarked while walking, “All of ‘em.”

Undoubtedly, Denny Hamlin displayed impressive speed throughout the year. The key question now remains: can he maintain this momentum and secure his first-ever championship title?

Read more- “Will I Ever Win a Championship?”- Denny Hamlin Downgrades Championship-Winning Drivers to Justify His Inefficiency