P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Exclusive: Denny Hamlin on becoming NASCAR’s villain
Denny Hamlin’s racing career is a complex contradiction that he has come to embrace, despite not fully understanding it. In NASCAR, fans cringe when young drivers land top rides solely because of financial sponsorship. However, earning rides through success in the lower-level series is seen as a rite of passage. Hamlin’s journey includes starting in Late Models funded by his family and being discovered by Joe Gibbs Racing. He didn’t have anything handed to him, working hard like most others in the field. Although he remains competitive and just secured his 51st win, Hamlin has fallen out of favor with NASCAR fans and is now the most hated driver, a role he relishes.
Source: motorsport
