Denny Hamlin has aligned himself with the sentiments expressed by his fellow Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Martin Truex Jr., regarding the aggressive and reckless behavior of NASCAR drivers. Truex voiced his frustration following the recent Watkins Glen race, where only two of the 16 playoff contenders managed to secure spots in the top 10. The event was marred by numerous crashes and on-track incidents, with Truex finishing in a disappointing 20th position. After the race, he openly criticized the lack of respect shown by some drivers on the grid.
During the latest episode of his podcast, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin echoed Truex Jr.’s concerns, stating that the level of respect between drivers has drastically diminished. He noted a particularly reckless attitude during high-pressure situations like green-white-checkered finishes, where drivers seem more focused on squeezing into any available space, regardless of the consequences. Hamlin remarked, “There’s certainly not a whole lot of respect amongst the drivers, especially in these green-white-checkered situations. We see it over and over, year after year, and it just keeps getting a little worse. There’s just no regard anymore. If there’s a quarter of a car width wide, someone’s gonna jam it in there in Turn 1, and if you spin, that’s not their problem.” His comments reflect a growing sentiment that drivers are becoming more aggressive, often with little concern for the consequences their actions may have on their fellow competitors.
Hamlin elaborated further on the dangerous tactics that have become commonplace, particularly in the closing stages of races. He explained that drivers are increasingly forcing their way into tight gaps, which frequently results in accidents. “It seems it’s not going well at the end of these races when it comes to green-white-checkereds. Guys are running over each other for one spot, but there’s not much you can do to change it. Martin just saying, ‘I’m done, I’m out of here,’ is just quintessential Martin Truex,” Hamlin added. He emphasized the growing frustration among seasoned drivers like Truex, who feel that respect and sportsmanship have largely disappeared from the sport.
Truex Jr., who announced earlier this year that he will be retiring from full-time racing in the Cup Series, has been struggling this season, making his frustration even more palpable. After the Watkins Glen race, he found himself 14 points below the playoff cut-line. Despite his impressive history at road courses like Watkins Glen and Sonoma, where he has previously claimed multiple victories and podium finishes, his performance this year has been underwhelming. In fact, Truex has not secured a top-five finish since May and now faces the challenge of needing a strong showing, or even a win, at Bristol in order to remain in playoff contention.
Truex Jr.’s frustrations boiled over after the race at Watkins Glen, where a restart incident involving Kyle Larson caused a multi-car crash, taking out Truex, Josh Berry, and Austin Cindric. Reflecting on the chaotic nature of modern racing, Truex expressed his dismay: “It’s just crazy that all these races always come down to this. I don’t really understand how guys can call themselves the best in the world when they just drive through everyone on restarts at the end of these races. It’s very frustrating, but it is what it is these days, so I’m out of here.” His statement highlights a growing sense of disillusionment with the state of competition in NASCAR, particularly in high-stakes, high-pressure moments that often devolve into chaos.
