“I’m going to value them just a little bit more.” With the dicey situation that 23XI Racing faced recently, Denny Hamlin’s words to savor each race make sense. His and Michael Jordan’s team, 23XI Racing, launched the NASCAR lawsuit last year in October against the sport’s charter system and other ‘monopolistic practices.’ In the process, they almost lost their 2025 Cup Series security until a federal judge granted them charters. Now, Hamlin has just fetched his first win, and he is counting his blessings.
Driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, the No. 11 Toyota driver broke a 31-race winless skid in Martinsville. Marking his 55th career victory, Denny Hamlin proved a lot of his skeptics wrong. He showed that he was capable of waging a war both on and off the track.
Denny Hamlin harnesses his energy from the people
After crossing the finish line 4.6 seconds ahead of Christopher Bell at the Cook Out 400, Denny Hamlin did something spectacular. He unfurled a flag stating, “11 Against The World” for all the NASCAR fans on the grandstands to see. Indeed, a majority of them have not been his most loyal fans. In fact, after his incidents with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson in 2023, Hamlin was stamped as the black hat of NASCAR. The legendary “I beat your favorite driver” slogan popped up from this, as Hamlin used it to deliberately mock his detractors. However, with many challenges facing the JGR driver over the off-season, Hamlin is a little more aware of the people who support him.
The NASCAR lawsuit stands on top of the issues, as Denny Hamlin is constantly engaging in courtroom battles. The busy schedule has led people to question the 20-year Cup Series veteran’s ability to perform on the track. However, he just proved the doubters wrong by leading for 274 laps en route to his sixth grandfather clock. In a post-race presser, Bob Pockrass asked him what it feels like to win amidst the lawsuit, as Pockrass said it is “23XI against the world” in the courtroom. Hamlin replied: “It really doesn’t mean anything as far as the court stuff is concerned. I mean, all that stuff is handled off-track. But I mean, it feels good, right?”
Why wouldn’t it feel good? Hamlin just showed NASCAR that no matter how much they tried to jeopardize his team’s stature in the sport, he would still come out on top. Winning at Martinsville was not just another victory for Hamlin. It was a statement to show that he is still there, competing against the best while fighting for his team’s place in the sport as well. This victory also meant a lot to Hamlin as a driver, as he has long been seen as a ‘villain’ in the sport, but he has never viewed that as a problem. In fact, he relishes it.
Besides the hectic requirements of the NASCAR lawsuit, Denny Hamlin faced sponsorship troubles and a crew chief shuffle as well. With FedEx leaving after two decades and Chris Gabehart moving to a competition director role, Hamlin had to adapt to a lot. Yet he emphasized that his diehard fans, no matter how few they are, kept him going. “It feels good to know that there’s probably like, 50 fans out there that are waiting for me to get done with this right there – that are going to stick this out. Maybe those are the only 50 in the stands that are rooting for me today. But it’s like I do it because of them. And I do it because it fuels me from the inside. I love when someone says I can’t do it – going out there and doing it.”
What is more? Denny Hamlin’s team executives believe in his pace. That level of faith is probably what keeps driving the JGR veteran.
Staying with him through thick and thin
After all, Denny Hamlin has been around for two decades. The No. 11 driver has been achieving laurels for Joe Gibbs since 2006. On his season’s first victory in 2025, Hamlin clinched a new record. His 55-race Cup Series race record at the half-mile track tied Rusty Wallace for 11th on the all-time win list. Poetically, even Wallace achieved his 55th victory at Martinsville during the 2004 spring race. Also, Hamlin’s 15th career short-track victory provided Joe Gibbs Racing with its 15th Martinsville win. This offered the third place to Gibbs’s team on the Paperclip’s all-time win list, behind Hendrick Motorsports and Petty Enterprises.
Clearly, Denny Hamlin’s off-track pursuit of revolutionizing NASCAR as a sport has not been impacting his racetrack focus. That is what Joe Gibbs stressed post-race: “I think days like today answer it. And really, Denny has always kind of had a lot going on. He attracts that stuff. And so, no, I haven’t seen anything like that in him. I think he’s been on it.” Chris Gabehart, the former No. 11 crew chief, also lauded Hamlin: “Denny, for 20 years now, has been a consummate pro and figured out a way to compartmentalize those things better than nearly anyone — and 55 times worth. So, sure [it impacts him], but give me a break. He’s Denny Hamlin. He’s fantastic.”
Clearly, Denny Hamlin’s team and his limited fanbase strongly believe in him. That solid faith probably drives him to excel both on and off the racetrack. Do you think Hamlin can finally break his duck and win the elusive Cup Series title in 2025? Let us know in the comments!
The post “23XI Against the World?” – Denny Hamlin Reveals the Impact of Their Lawsuit Against NASCAR Post Martinsville Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.