NASCAR: Let’s not politicize Denny Hamlin and Darrell Wallace Jr. feud

By Asher Fair | Feb 24, 2018

HAMPTON, GA - FEBRUARY 23: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, walks through the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 23, 2018 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

It can be easy to get carried away when discussing feuds in any sport, including those in the NASCAR Cup Series. Let’s not politicize the one involving Denny Hamlin and Darrell Wallace Jr.

If you have read any of my recent articles about the feud involving NASCAR Cup Series drivers Denny Hamlin, 37, and Darrell Wallace Jr., 24, you know that I don’t exactly have a favorable opinion of the former in any way, shape or form.

However, there comes a time when people can get carried away discussing feuds such as this one, and this can lead to false accusations being made against one or more parties involved. No matter who you side with, it is important to form your opinion based on not just a few details by the big picture.

But nothing more than the big picture.

Wallace Jr. drives the #43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports, and he is the first full-time African-American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series since Wendell Scott drove for Scott Racing, Garn Racing, Eddie Yarboro and Cunningham-Kelley in the 1971 season. Scott’s lone career Cup Series win came when he was driving for Scott Racing in the 1964 season in Jacksonville.

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Given the fact that this feud between Hamlin and Wallace Jr., which really heated up when Wallace Jr. poked fun at Hamlin’s comments about drivers using Adderall following their late battle in the Daytona 500, has resulted in Hamlin kicking Wallace Jr. out of his recreational basketball and golf leagues, there has sadly been speculation that Hamlin is racist.

As much as a I am not a fan of Hamlin’s recent actions, let’s not resort to such asinine claims to get any kind of points across about this situation. There is no need for it, especially with absolutely no factual evidence to back up these claims whatsoever.

Hamlin, especially as of late, has been in hot water with a number of drivers, most notably with Chase Elliott when he spun him out at Martinsville in the opening race of the round of 8 in last year’s playoffs with just over two laps remaining, denying Elliott his first career Cup Series win and a spot in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami just a few weeks later.

Now Hamlin just happens to be involved in a feud with Wallace Jr., and Wallace Jr. just happens to be an African-American. That certainly does not make Hamlin racist just because he’s irritated with him. Hamlin is irritated with him for blowing his tire and poking fun at his Adderall comments. That’s all there is to it.

Yes, it does seem a little bit odd that Hamlin is so bent out of shape over Wallace Jr. racing him hard and making a joke about his Adderall comments when Hamlin has no issue racing others hard and had no issue making his own Adderall joke about 70% of the Cup Series field.

But had it been any other driver not named Wallace Jr. who raced him hard and made a joke about his comments, Hamlin would also be fired up, and had that driver been in Hamlin’s recreational leagues, he probably would have booted and replaced them as well.

Plus, are we just going to ignore the fact that Wallace Jr. was in these two leagues to begin with??

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It’s okay to take Denny Hamlin’s side in this feud even though few people have. It’s obviously okay to take Darrell Wallace Jr.’s side in this feud. In fact, most people have. But it’s never okay to base your opinion on claims that have absolutely no factual backing to support then whatsoever in an attempt to get your point across, especially a claim that suggests Hamlin is racist for being involved in this feud. It is uncalled for on so many levels.