In the 2023 racing season, Denny Hamlin has truly been riding high in the saddle with Joe Gibbs Racing. Why do we say this? While other frontrunners like Martin Truex Jr. have hit a few bumps in the road, facing issues ranging from car troubles to ill-timed strategies, Denny Hamlin’s crew has weathered the storm magnificently.

With another feather in his cap after triumphing at a challenging circuit in Bristol, whispers are growing louder that this might be the year Hamlin clinches the championship. However, never one to mince his words, Denny, in a no-holds-barred conversation with Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, tipped his hat to the Joe Gibbs Racing team, crediting them as the wind beneath his wings.

Denny Hamlin chalks up his consistent victories to the perfect storm of speed and teamwork

Although NASCAR’s apparent new “bad boy” is often neck-deep in the controversy surrounding his wins, like Kyle Larson and his infamous crash at Pocono, Hamlin’s Bristol triumph was one of the cleanest ones. By outpacing Christopher Bell, who had the wind in his sails after winning the first two stages, Hamlin sped to the top, leaving Kyle Larson biting the dust.

While titans like Kevin Harvick and 2022 victor Joey Logano have been knocked off their pedestals in this year’s title race, Hamlin is poised to seize what could be his golden opportunity. Quizzed by “The Teardown” crew about his buoyant demeanor, Hamlin, quick on the draw, lauded his team, saying, “It?s easy to feel this way when you are performing the way we are. I mean, honestly, there?s no glitches right now. We are just fast. We have been the car to beat the last three weeks in a row; sure, we don?t have one trophy, but damn. I mean, the competition knows that you probably have to go through the 11 if you want to win on any given week right now.”

Following his Bristol triumph, Hamlin has parked himself in 3rd place, boasting a cool 3032 points. But here’s the curveball: despite Hamlin’s squeaky-clean victory, many NASCAR enthusiasts still rained on his parade, booing him at the finish.

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Once more, Joe Gibbs’ golden boy faced a chorus of boos from the NASCAR faithful

With another feather in his cap, Denny Hamlin is inching closer to the illustrious 60-win milestone in the Cup Series. Yet, even after a crystal-clear victory at Bristol without any shenanigans to take down a rival, the crowd wasn’t shy about showing their cards.

Never one to bite his tongue, Hamlin shot back, ?I beat you favorite driver- all of them,? clearly not losing sleep over the crowd’s sentiments. It’s becoming crystal clear: Hamlin is shaping up to be NASCAR’s new anti-hero. But if the shoe fits, it seems he’s more than happy to wear it.

As long as he’s got his eyes on the prize?that championship?all press is good press. And with the Texas race on the horizon, a track where he’s traditionally been in the driver’s seat, all eyes will be on him to see if he keeps the ball rolling.

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