It’s time to shift your attention from an iron trophy to a smooth hat. Austin Cindric clinched the Vulcan Trophy at Talladega Superspeedway after a dramatic race. But now, Cup Series drivers are gearing up for the pleasures of a ‘Wild, Wild West’ flavor. Rolling hay bundles, cattle ranches, and strapped-up horses – these scenes will play out as NASCAR visits Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. And Denny Hamlin took the wild west theme a little too seriously.
The NASCAR Cup Series is gearing up for the Würth 400 race, which Chase Elliott won a year ago. The Hendrick Motorsports star edged out Denny Hamlin during the final laps to grab that Texan cowboy hat on Victory Lane. However, Elliott’s rival is already doing some measurements for himself, baffling fans.
Denny Hamlin rolls out a snazzy new look
Well, media appearances are part and parcel of NASCAR. Alongside revving up engines at high-octane racetracks, Cup Series drivers put on confident smiles to face the press. However, Denny Hamlin opted to take his public appearance a notch higher ahead of the Texas Motor Speedway event. That may be due to his heartbreak in last year’s race in April 2024. During a two-lap shootout, we witnessed an epic battle between Hamlin and Chase Elliott. In the end, Elliott blocked his rival, who took the wrong decision by sliding sideways. Hamlin slammed his No. 11 Toyota against the wall and finished 20th while Elliott basked in Victory Lane. This time, however, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is determined to get back at his Cup Series rival. For that purpose, he released a Texas-themed trailer.
In an Instagram post, Denny Hamlin posted a snapshot from a photoshoot. The 56-time Cup Series race winner turned into an unlikely rodeo model. Dressed in a polka dot grey-blue shirt and blue jeans, Hamlin had a sleek white cowboy hat on his head. He was seated on a handsome and elegant dark brown horse, giving off the ultimate Wild West feel as Hamlin tipped his hat in style. The Cup Series veteran dropped a two-word caption, which was enough to sum up his emotions: “Texas ready.”
Well, clearly, Denny Hamlin is prepared to go all the way for NASCAR’s annual visit to Fort Worth, Texas. Last year’s race, contested over 400 miles, produced a track-record-tying 16 cautions. It equaled a mark established over 500 miles in 2022. What is more, 16 yellow flags are a NASCAR record for cautions in a 400-mile race on a 1.5-mile speedway. Hamlin is accurately aware of that, and also of the treachery of the track, which lies in its different ends. Turns 1 and 2 are flatter and slower, while Turns 3 and 4 are faster and have higher banks. Negotiating both sets of corners while maintaining pace can be a daunting task.
Denny Hamlin cautiously weighed his chances against this situation, reflecting on his 2024 condition. “It’s a huge compromise. It’s essentially kind of what we felt caused me to wreck in that green-white-checker situation last year when we had the lead. We were really good on one end, aggressive on the other, and when I needed to push it, just spun out. Certainly, it’s a really, really tough balance to have.”
As Denny Hamlin seeks that balance both on the racetrack and on his horse, fans are rooting for him. In fact, his Texas-themed look took the community by surprise.
Jaw-dropping responses flood the comments
Well, witnessing a 44-year-old Virginia native in a cowboy outfit is not a scene you get to see every day. Especially not with Denny Hamlin, who is known for his serious spokesperson abilities. So, on seeing Hamlin tipping his hat on a handsome horse, his Cup Series rival Noah Gragson let slip a gasp of shock in the comments. It was the smallest abbreviation, but the emotions were clear: “Tf.” What is more, Hamlin’s better half, Jordan Fish, jumped in on the fun conversation, too. She requested Hamlin to save another elegant beast for her to ride: “Save a horse ” Dirty Mo Media, which Denny Hamlin’s podcast ‘Actions Detrimental’ is a part of, also hopped aboard. The official Instagram account of the media brand slipped out its surprise as well: “Did not have this in the 2025 DH subplot.”
Other fans cheered loudly for the JGR veteran to create waves this weekend. After all, Denny Hamlin is one of only two active drivers to own multiple victories at the 1.5-mile intermediate track. He swept the track’s races in 2010 and won again in March 2019. In 34 career starts, Hamlin has posted eight top-five finishes, 16 top-10s, and 329 laps led. So one fan commented enthusiastically: “Go get that cowboy hat at Texas this weekend.” Somebody else espoused the true cowboy spirit in their wishes. As Hamlin evoked the Texan spirit in his run-up to the Cup Series race, the fan wants the same to work out for him. “Ridem’ Cowboy ”
Clearly, Denny Hamlin is in the mood for a grand ride this weekend. Let us see if the JGR veteran can grab his second cowboy hat on Victory Lane this Sunday!
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