‘He stole my stuff’ – Denny Hamlin ‘angry’ over Michael Jordan prodigy’s snub at Kansas

Denny Hamlin held the reins for 63 consecutive laps, narrowly missing out on first place at Kansas and finishing second. If his obvious post-race frustration is any indication, we can only admire Kyle Larson’s patience as he managed a jaw-dropping 99 laps to finish fourth. What seemed destined to be Larson’s crowning glory was briefly snatched away from Hamlin, only to eventually slip through his fingers in the game’s twilight moments and into the eager hands of Michael Jordan’s rising star.

A disgruntled Hamlin, never one to bite his tongue, covered the Kansas Cyclones on the radio via podcast while comparing himself to Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch’s winning moments at the track.

Denny Hamlin’s dual challenge: wearing the shoes of a driver and an owner

Hamlin’s belly has been on fire ever since he revved his engine in NASCAR. Case in point: His fierce competitiveness was on full display at the Pocono race, where he was gunning for that golden 50th win, even if it meant fighting Kyle Lal Sen’s relationship is in jeopardy.

Although Hamlin’s eureka moment on the golf course led him to form a NASCAR team with basketball legend Michael Jordan, it’s clear he still has more driver blood in his blood than his boss’s. In stark contrast to Brad Keselowski, who stands by his drivers and puts the team first through thick and thin, it’s clear that Hamlin remains Playing a dual role.

Hamlin revealed all on his podcast, “Toxic Behavior.” Commenting on Tyler Reddick’s win at Kansas State, he said: “It was one of the most painful second races. I was really excited when Kurt won; Bubba won – again very excited; now I’m definitely happier as a driver than as a car owner .”

He further added that as a team owner, “I found myself definitely in driver mode more this weekend – you know, happy for them. (…) These are my guys, right? But he had to take a picture with Taylor next to the trophy, and he got it from me Stole something. “Too bad. “

Perhaps Hamlin is still finding his footing in a sea of ​​responsibility, seemingly more tied to Joe Gibbs Racing than his own venture, 23XI Racing. If he’s considering fully integrating into his team in the future, he’ll need to put on the boss hat more convincingly.

Beyond that, after all, by his own admission in the post-race chat, perhaps he was focusing solely on the HMS riders and missing the bigger picture. So why is the dilemma between car owners and drivers to blame?

Did Joe Gibbs’ golden boy drop the ball proactively at Kansas?

While Denny Hamlin may be cheering for second place, it’s clear that a moment of misstep cost him the crown. According to motorsports.com, Hamlin opened up about his situation after the race, revealing that he was dumped by Kyle Larson on the restart and was therefore unable to analyze the entire situation from a broader perspective.

“(Larson) was just too relaxed. I was trying to get back to him,” I’ve already said it. “Probably should focus on moving forward. It gives (Redick) a chance to get in front of us. Just sleep on the restart and look behind us instead of looking in front.”

Well, it’s not that the Kansas game has taken a back seat, but Hamlin is certainly looking to turn a new leaf in the upcoming showdown in Bristol. If past performance is anything to go by, Bristol could very well be Hamlin’s playground to regain his mojo.

Watch this story | Denny Hamlin slams Michael Jordan’s driver for ruining his performance at Darlington