Denny Hamlin warns NASCAR against angering its biggest stars

Denny Hamlin believes NASCAR needs to be careful with its “the show will go on with or without you” mentality when it comes to relations with its biggest stars.

Speaking on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Hamlin explained how Stewart-Haas Racing closing its doors after the 2024 Cup Series season, as well as NASCAR being hesitant to grant Kyle Larson a waiver, are troublesome for the sport in the long-term.

“NASCAR has felt the show will go on with or without you,” Hamlin said. “I don’t know if that is necessarily as true today as it used to be. There’s always superstars coming in and out, we got a lot of young talent coming through the roots and sponsorship was all plentiful and if you didn’t do what they wanted you to do, it was take it or leave it and this is our sandbox. If you don’t like it, get out and the show’s gonna run on this weekend. Our sport is not like that anymore. And if you ruffle feathers of the Chase Elliott or a Kyle Larson, now you got a team that says, ‘Alright, you wanted to go on without us, we’re out.’

“Just feel as though these are the kind of things that knock out the leg of your stool. And if you keep having these things that shows splinters, it’s not good for the sport long-term. And I want to see what’s good for the sport, I’m invested in it. But you’re not gonna change the way some of these people think. That’s troublesome. I just think we got to be careful thinking that we don’t need you, we are the show. That is a very dangerous way for our sport to think because these teams and these drivers are the show. If you start dinking around with things like waivers and just stuff, then you’re not helping anyone’s cause. And certainly not your own.”

Denny Hamlin thinks it’s ‘ridiculous’ that NASCAR hasn’t given Kyle Larson a waiver

Larson, of course, is still in need of a waiver from NASCAR to remain playoff eligible after missing the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to race in the 108th Running of the Indy 500. He intended to run both, however, rain delayed the start of the Indy 500 by four hours, forcing Larson to prioritize racing in Indianapolis or the Coca-Cola 600. Larson chose the 500 and didn’t get a chance to run in the 600 due to NASCAR calling the race due to rain after he arrived from Indianapolis.

Hamlin finds it “ridiculous” that NASCAR hasn’t granted Larson a playoff waiver as they have in previous instances.

“He had a choice,” Hamlin said. “That’s by the letter of the law, that’s what they’re saying is he had a choice. … It’s ridiculous. I said this weekend in the media center that I thought the five team made good faith efforts to try to get him to Charlotte to run the double. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had its other plans and so, who knows. Who knows how this is gonna turn out. I think the longer it goes, the worse the news is going to be.”