NASCAR: Denny Hamlin displaying yet another double standard

By Asher Fair | Feb 22, 2018

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 11: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, stands on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /

For the third time in the last few months, NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin is displaying an interesting double standard.

While everyone has become focused on the “Danica Double” over these last few months with NASCAR Cup Series driver Danica Patrick driving in her final two races before retiring, let’s focus on what has essentially become the “Denny Double Standard” involving Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin.

Last October, Denny Hamlin, who raked in $15,200,000 last season, the third-highest money amount among all NASCAR drivers behind only the money amounts of Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., claimed that NASCAR drivers should be paid more.

He stated that NASCAR drivers should get money comparable to the money that NFL and NBA players make since driving in NASCAR is more risky than playing football or basketball. Meanwhile, he ignored the risks taken in non-competitive professions by individuals such as police officers, firefighters, soldiers, paramedics and EMT’s, who get paid far, far less than NASCAR drivers do.

Then at Martinsville later in October in the opening race of the round of 8 in the Cup Series playoffs, Hamlin wrecked Chase Elliott with just over two laps to go, ultimately preventing him from winning the race and preventing him from advancing to the Championship 4.

Here is a video of that wreck.

But when Elliott got revenge and made contact with him at Phoenix in the final race of the round of 8 and Hamlin ended up wrecking a few laps later and failing to qualify for the Championship 4 because of it, Elliott was somehow the “bad guy”.

More from NASCAR

Now Hamlin is exhibiting yet another double standard. He made comments about how he believes nearly three-quarters of the Cup Series field use Adderall, and then when these comments got “blown up”, he claimed that he was only joking.

But then when Darrell Wallace Jr. poked fun at Hamlin for these comments and said that he should take some Adderall after driving Wallace Jr. into the wall when Wallace Jr. side drafted him coming to the checkered flag in the Daytona 500, Hamlin lost his cool. The two drivers had an angry confrontation about this after the race before Hamlin went on a Twitter rant, which you can read below.

Let me clue the idiots on Twitter what I was pissed off about. I had no issue with how the race ended. I was minding my own business on the bottom of the track and out of the blue I get ran into, my tire blown, and perfectly straight car destroyed. I’m good with all that.
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 20, 2018

Then, I go do media and everything is fine. Then the last question is what was my response to what Bubba said. I had no issue until not only did he place blame on me but then went on to make personal comments about myself. I left the media center and saw Bubba 30 secs later.
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 20, 2018

Anyone who wouldn’t take offense to the stupid things that was said has absolutely no backbone. I have one
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 20, 2018

Next: Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time

In other words, it’s okay for Denny Hamlin to joke about someone, but it’s not okay for anyone else to joke about him, just like it’s okay for Hamlin to spin somebody out, but it’s not okay for anyone to spin him it. It’s also evidently okay for Hamlin to complain about making $15 million per year while others who are engaging in non-competitive risky activities don’t even make close to that amount yet don’t complain about it.