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12 Questions with Denny Hamlin

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The series of 12 Questions interviews continues this week with Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin is currently seventh in the point standings. This interview was conducted at Daytona and is available both in podcast and written form.

1. How much of your success is based on natural ability and how much has come from working at it?

It’s probably 75 percent natural ability. I think 25 of it you can refine by just doing it and studying at it.

2. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and now Dale Earnhardt Jr. have all either retired in the last couple years or will retire soon. What’s your pitch for fans of theirs to become fans of yours?

I really don’t have a pitch. You like me if you like me; if you don’t, then you don’t. I’m a true, old-school short-track racer. Got here the old fashioned way, just like all those guys did. So why not me?

3. What is the hardest part of your job away from the racetrack?

I don’t really consider my job hard on the racetrack or off the racetrack. It’s everything that I’ve really hoped it would be. The hardest part is just the time away from home.

4. Let’s say a fan spots you eating dinner in a nice restaurant. Should they come over for an autograph or no?

They can. I don’t think I’ve really turned anyone down that’s approached me about an autograph. Doesn’t mean necessarily it’s OK or I like it or I encourage it, but I definitely never would turn anyone away.

5. What’s a story in NASCAR that doesn’t get enough coverage?

I think the pit crews and how much of athletes they are gets a little bit of coverage, but we see within the race teams how all the pit crews rank, even individual positions. I think the TV or the media hasn’t seen before who has the fastest jack man on pit road, who has the fastest tire carrier, who has the faster tire changer. All those stats are available, but you never see them.

Are those stats kept by the teams? How would I get those?

I don’t know. Someone high up probably has them. But I’ve seen them.

6. Who is the last driver you texted?

Dale Jr.

Can you tell us what it was about?

We were actually talking about the refs. He thinks that things are getting pretty physical in his basketball league, so he’s asking whether he thinks my refs (in Hamlin’s “Hoop Group” league) could possibly control that or not.

7. Do you consider race car drivers to be entertainers?

Yeah, absolutely. I think that we’re entertainers — we’re more than just race car drivers. I mean, we go to autograph sessions and fan fests and do Q&A’s and things like that, so absolutely I would say we’re in the entertainment business.

8. What is your middle finger policy on the racetrack?

I used to give it a lot, but I don’t necessarily anymore because it bothers me when I get it. I stick my hand out when I’m frustrated, but I try to keep it at five fingers instead of one now.

That’s very gentlemanly of you.

I’ve never been called that before.

9. Some drivers keep a payback list in their minds. Do you also have a list for drivers who have done you a favor on the track?

I do. There’s handfuls of drivers that have cut me breaks more than once. Yeah, absolutely. You know who those guys are and you repay them.

10. Who is the most famous person you’ve had dinner with?

Are you talking about one-on-one or with a group?

It can be in a group. The great thing about this question is that so many people this year have never really had dinner with that famous of a person, but you, on the other hand, have had so many famous dinners you actually have to go through and think about who’s the most famous one.

You have to put it in a category. I would say in a very small group, probably eight people or so, with the Kardashians and Lord Disick (Scott Disick).

What!? When was this?

This was at the grand opening of Butter (Hamlin’s former nightclub), probably six years ago.

So Kim herself came? Did anyone else come?

Kourtney, Khloe and the Lord.

What were they like?

Pretty quiet for the most part, but I don’t know. You could just tell they were a little uncomfortable in the beginning, but they kinda got into their groove by the end of the night.

11. What’s something about yourself you’d like to improve?

Geez, there’s so many things. What I’d like to improve: my eating habits.

What’s wrong with those?

I’ve got a bad sugar tooth. I could eat until I’m about to explode. Like I eat a lot, and then I’ll still want something sweet at the end of the night. I have a bad problem with that.

12. The last question was from Ryan Blaney. Now, Denny, I am under strict instructions not to give you any context with this. I doubled back with him just this morning and said, “Are you sure you want me to ask it like this?” And he said, “Yes.” So I’m sorry.

Did he know it’s to me?

No, he just wanted me to ask this very awkward question to a driver. I figured you could deal with it. So are you ready?

OK, I’m ready.

Who shot first?

(Long silence) This is coming from Blaney, right? Who shot first? (Pause) He did.

I don’t know if that’s the correct answer, but —

I’ll change it, I’ll change it: I did.

You did? OK, that’s definitely the wrong answer. You should just go with “He did.” But it’s a Star Wars reference.

Oh, he’s such a dork. You know what? They can’t sell to the public how awesome Blaney is if he keeps coming up with this Star Wars dork stuff. Like seriously, he’s gotta, you know… Ugh. I need to have a talk with Blaney because this is just not the road he needs to go down.

You may have to do that after this. It was apparently a reference to, have you seen the original Star Wars?

No, I’ve never seen it. I’m not a sci-fi guy. I’ve seen a couple of episodes of Star Trek when I was a kid. That was when my dad was watching it.

I don’t know who the next interview is going to be with. Do you have a question that I might be able to ask the next driver? Please don’t make it as awkward as the Blaney one was.

I have one. (Laughs) What I ask is that you interview someone who has at least six to seven years of Cup experience. And what I want know is: Of the teammates they have worked with, I wanna know who their favorite was. And the other side of that, and they have to be honest: Who is the worst that they’ve ever worked with?

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News Analysis: Erik Jones to drive the No. 20 car

What happened: Joe Gibbs Racing made a long-speculated move official on Tuesday, announcing Erik Jones will return to the team after a one-year loan to affiliate Furniture Row Racing. Jones, a Cup rookie this season, has been a JGR development driver and will replace former Cup champion Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 car.

What it means: The NASCAR youth movement continues. As Kenseth has said, he does not intend to retire despite being 45 years old. It appears he essentially got pushed out of JGR by the desire to give one of NASCAR’s top young drivers a home with the team.

News value (scale of 1-10): Two. This is not a surprise at all, but it is noteworthy in that it’s a driver change at one of the top teams.

Questions: What happens to the No. 77 team at Furniture Row Racing? Will Kenseth be able to land at another top organization? How quickly can Jones become a regular winner at JGR?

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Fan Profile: Tara from Virginia

These 12 Questions-style fan profiles are one of the rewards offered as a tier on my Patreon page. You can catch up on the other profiles so far this season here.

Name: Tara (last name withheld at Tara’s request)

Location: Virginia

Age: Mid-30s

1. How long have you been a NASCAR fan?

About eight years.

2. How many races have you attended?

Ten.

3. Who is your No. 1 favorite driver?

Ryan Blaney,

4. What made you a fan of his?

I love Ryan and all the new kids — Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson, etc. Their energy and skills are refreshing. I love to see NASCAR adapt to the times, rather than being hidebound by that gruff good ol’ boy image from the old days.

These kids take their craft seriously; they are incredible drivers with a lot of talent and focus. But they’re also just FUN. I found the Nicktoons channel simply to watch Bubba and Blaney’s segment on Karsyn Elledge’s show Hammer Down. Watching them goof around never ceases to crack me up.

And that’s good! Sports should be fun! I really hope the NASCAR powers that be recognize what they have in those guys and use it to the fullest.

5. Who is your most disliked driver?

Kevin Harvick.

6. Why don’t you like him?

He comes off as such a jerk. I’m not alone in this; he even seems to know it. There’s a headline on KevinHarvick.com that reads “Kevin Harvick’s goal: try not to be a jerk.” The only likable things about him to me are his wife and his kid.

7. What is your favorite track?

Richmond. I LOVE Richmond. Dennis Bickmeier is easily one of the smartest executives in all of sports, and his approach to running races is phenomenal. I love the friendly, pro-fan environment there. Everyone should come to Richmond for a race. EVERYONE.

8. What is one thing you would change if you were in charge of NASCAR?

I’d institute some sort of luxury tax or other profit-sharing mechanism between the mega-teams and the small teams. I don’t know exactly what it would look like, and I think some of the recent rule changes are tiny steps toward evening out the playing field.

But haves vs. have-nots is going to continue to be an issue in the next few years, and if NASCAR wants to stay strong, it should consider taking strong action to balance out the money.

9. What is one thing you would keep the same if you were in charge of NASCAR?

I’ve always loved how dedicated people in NASCAR are to teaching fans about the sport. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is an INCREDIBLE learning experience — it really deepened my understanding of the entire industry. The broadcasters, especially the ex-crew chiefs like Larry McReynolds and Steve Letarte, are phenomenal resources for learning what’s going on. I hope that never goes away.

10. How often do you yell at the TV during a race?

Depends on how often Harvick does something good. 🙂

11. Do you have any advice for other fans?

I came to NASCAR fandom somewhat late in life, unlike my husband, who grew up loving Mark Martin and Davey Allison. So my advice would be more tailored to the “fans-in-law” out there, people who got into NASCAR through a loved one’s passion for it.

NASCAR is this great blend of competitive spirit, technology and personality. There’s a depth and breadth of fandom available to you far beyond just pulling for a team or a person. It’s a fantastic family interest. My husband and I have spent so much great quality time around NASCAR, and it’s something I never saw coming. So embrace your “fan-in-law” status. You’ll find something to love about the sport no matter what your interests are.

12. What else do you want the NASCAR world to know about you?

I’m from Alabama originally. For the longest time, I ran away from the idea of liking NASCAR because of the stereotypes associated with the sport. But when I started going to races — Richmond in particular — I saw what the folks reading this already know: this is a great, diverse community full of people from all walks of life. (Seriously, come to a race at Richmond! You will have the best time!) It’s been so much fun learning to love racing. I’m thrilled that Jeff has built this new community for us to come together and share our fandom. It’s really something special. See y’all out at the track!

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Post-Kentucky podcast with patron voicemails

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Eleven of my Patreon patrons weigh in on the Kentucky race with questions and comments, giving me a chance to respond with thoughts on Martin Truex Jr.’s win, Brad Keselowski’s comments, Silly Season, NBC’s interview procedure and more.

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Aaron Bearden: Kentucky shows NASCAR must keep pushing to improve racing

By Aaron Bearden

Has the time come for NASCAR to design a new car for Cup Series competition?

Brad Keselowski certainly thinks so. And while that may be unlikely in the immediate future, races like Saturday’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway prove there’s at least still work to be done on the current model.

“It is a poorly designed race car and it makes racing on tracks like this very difficult to put on the show we want to put on for our fans,” Keselowski said after a Lap 87 crash.  “You do what you can to gouge and claw on the restarts and get everything you can get. You have to put yourself in bad situations to do that and that is where we were. If you don’t make those moves on the restarts, then you run in the back.”

It’s crazy how quickly things change.

Two years ago, Keselowski was one of a host of drivers praising NASCAR after a test of a new low-downforce package yielded an exciting show on the 1.5-mile oval.

“This is what race car driving’s all about,” Denny Hamlin said after that 2015 race. “And I feel like now it’s back in the driver and crew chief’s hands to get their car handling like it’s supposed to. Not just an arms race of who it build the fastest cars in the shop.”

“I could actually drive the car, I was steering and sliding, I about wrecked a few times,” Carl Edwards said then. “You know, I felt like I was doing something, not just sitting in line. So I was really excited about the racing.”

Edwards was one of the most vocal drivers for taking away downforce to put control in the drivers’ hands when he competed. Given that fact, he likely didn’t miss NASCAR’s latest foray in the Bluegrass State.

There’s no real way around it: Saturday’s 400-mile race was mostly a snoozer, even after the facility used the “Tire Dragon” to attempt to enhance the middle lane.

There were occasional bursts of excitement, namely during the race’s start and eight subsequent restarts, which spawned three and four-wide battles and a handful of crashes that eliminated Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and others.

But during the part of the race that should matter most — green-flag racing — excitement was difficult to find.

Sure, fast cars could rise to the top. Kyle Larson proved that in driving through the field from the rear twice after missing qualifying and suffering a pit road speeding penalty, and race winner Truex diced through lapped traffic with ease through the night.

But the average car was stuck.

Clint Bowyer spotter Brett Griffin was one of the first to chime in on the passing difficulty throughout the night, noting that gaps of three-to-four car lengths were proving difficult for his driver and others to overcome early in the night due to aerodynamic issues, and suggesting that restarts would determine the race.

There were only four leaders throughout the night, and only two (Truex and Kyle Busch) who led for any significant period of time. Truex drove awaty over a lengthy late run, leading his closest competitors by 16.7 seconds before a late caution bunched up the field.

But after staying out during a subsequent round of pit stops, Truex appeared to be a sitting duck, poised to let another win slip away. When he took off on the race’s final restart, though, the clean air proved enough for the Furniture Row Racing star to drive off and secure the victory.

Drivers throughout the pack complained of handling issues back in the pack. Busch noted a change in significant change in handling once he lost clean air to a round of pit stops, as did Matt Kenseth and others.

Part of Saturday’s issues can be attributed to the 1.5-mile oval’s repave, its second in as many years after a few observed problems required a repeat overhaul following the Xfinity Series’ playoff opener in 2016.

“It’s just really lane sensitive, so you have to be right on the bottom is pretty much the quickest way,” Kasey Kahne said. “So the restarts are all you’ve got. I mean, it’s Kentucky.  It was like this last year if I remember.”

Those struggles were expected — repaves never produce the best races in NASCAR. But to use them as an overarching excuse and move on unabated does a disservice to Keselowski’s observation.

To its credit, NASCAR’s move to continue lowering downforce in recent seasons has paid off, at least statistically. A look at loop data shows a significant increase in quality passes this season — 1,615 per race this season entering Kentucky, up from an average of 1,230 per race over the course of last year.

What really matters to most, including the average fan, is the eye test — whether a race looks exciting on television or in person. This is difficult to measure, sure, but it’s hard to find many times that Saturday’s race filled fans with excitement.

Not every race can be a barn-burner. Sometimes, dominant nights like Truex’s on Saturday happen. But in those circumstances, there needs to be something exciting to keep fans watching.

Save for Larson’s early drive through the field, there wasn’t much of that to be found in Kentucky.

So, what can be done?

Keselowski recommended a new car design.

“It is time for the sport to design a new car that is worthy of where this sport deserves to be and the show it deserves to put on for its fans,” Keselowski said.

Given that the current Gen 6 car in only in its fourth year of use, the move to a whole new car seems hasty. But it does foster thoughts about how the current car can be improved.

Perhaps the cars need lifted up off the ground — as has been the request from Dale Earnhardt Jr., Keselowski and others whenever a car spins through the infield grass. More downforce could be taken away, or even added if there are circumstances where it would prove beneficial.

The science behind finding the perfect setup is difficult, but there are a host of potential options at NASCAR’s disposal.

The sanctioning body has worked tirelessly to improve its on-track product in recent years. NASCAR has tested and implemented both a low-downforce and lower-downforce package in recent years, while also attempting things such as the high-drag package seen at IMS and Michigan International Speedway in 2015.

Races like Kentucky show NASCAR can’t stop now. That same willingness to innovate and improve is what the sport needs to deliver the weekly product drivers and fans deserve.

Aaron Bearden typically writes for KickinTheTires.net. He freelanced for JeffGluck.com this weekend. Follow Aaron on Twitter at @aaronbearden93.

Note: This story has been updated to remove a statistic about lead changes.

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DraftKings Fantasy NASCAR picks: Kentucky

I’m playing DraftKings this season and will be posting my picks here each week. Disclosure: If you want to play and sign up using this link, DraftKings will give my website a commission. Disclosure No. 2: I might be America’s worst daily fantasy player.

Last race’s results: Played $9 Firecracker contest and finished 9,770th out of 45,800; won $15.

Season results: $47 wagered, $64 won in 13 contests.

This week’s contest: $4 Brake Pad game (single entry).

Kentucky picks:

— Kyle Busch ($10,200): A very expensive choice and it’s scary to pick the polesitter, but I envision him getting the lead at the start of the race and leading a chunk of laps early en route to a solid finish. I need a hammer, and I’m banking on Busch for that.

— Kyle Larson ($10,000): Duh, right? Everyone will pick Larson because he starts 40th (didn’t qualify) and has a huge upside for position differential. However, that doesn’t mean he’s the wrong pick just because everyone else will have him, too.

— Clint Bowyer ($8,400): He starts 16th and could easily get a top-10 finish, so that’s a positive. The price point isn’t terrible, and I needed a driver who wasn’t super expensive but still capable of a very good race.

— Kurt Busch ($8,100): Of the 15 drivers who ran 10 or more consecutive laps in final practice, Busch was ninth. While that’s not amazing, he was ahead of similar drivers at this range (like Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and starts 15th, so there’s some room for position gains there.

— Ryan Newman ($7,300): This pick is MAJORLY sketchy because Newman will drop to the rear due to an engine change (and you won’t get credit for him starting there). However, he technically starts 29th and I think he can rally for a top-15 finish even after starting in the rear. I need those points if so.

— Michael McDowell ($5,900): I don’t feel great about this one at all, but the price was right. Maybe McDowell (starting 21st) can pull out a top-15 finish and make the gamble pay off with my top-heavy lineup.

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At Kentucky, Dale Earnhardt Jr. focused on running better — not retirement

By Aaron Bearden

With the busiest daily schedule of any driver in NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. already had a difficult time juggling his responsibilities before this year.

It’s no surprise, then, that finding the time to enjoy his retirement tour has proven difficult.

“You don’t balance it very well,” Earnhardt said during a media availability Friday at Kentucky Speedway. “You know, I just spent three hours practicing today, never once thought about my retirement or this being my last year. I was thinking about how in the hell to get that car to go a little faster. Nothing’s came easy today.

“On days like today, you could tell me I have five more years of this and I wouldn’t know any better. It feels just like any other race, any other practice, because you just get in there and you get competitive.”

The only reprieve for Earnhardt come as he’s away from the track, when time slows down.

“I think that during the week things aren’t quite as tense or there is a little more ease of mind knowing there is a definite end point,” Earnhardt said. “So during the week I think I’m a little more relaxed and able to not stay so wound up like I used to be. Man, you get to the race track and you can’t help it.”

Earnhardt came into this season hopeful he could find a new level of calm at the racetrack, but the pressure of a difficult season to date has proven too great to overcome.

Things appeared poised to start off well for the Kannapolis, N.C. native. Fresh off of a marriage to longtime girlfriend Amy Earnhardt, the 42-year-old rolled off the truck fast at Daytona International Speedway, earning a front-row starting position and leading laps during the Daytona 500. But a mid-race spin from Kyle Busch brought his Daytona dreams to an early end.

In many ways, the storylines from that race have continued throughout the season for Earnhardt. He has shown bursts of speed, even contending throughout the day at Texas Motor Speedway before settling for a fifth-place result.

However, most glimpses of hope have been snuffed out by mid-race disappointment.

There’ve been crashes – four of which have led to DNFs thus far. Earnhardt has had pit road penalties, restart difficulties and even a rare engine failure at Pocono Raceway. In other races, he and crew chief Greg Ives have simply struggled to find the correct balance.

In what may be his final trip to Daytona, Earnhardt surged to the pole and overcame an early crash only to be taken out by a similar accident as the laps wound down.

The result of Earnhardt’s unexpected struggles is a mountain to the playoffs that may prove too steep to climb. He currently sits 22nd in the series standings, with no obvious chances at a victory between this weekend’s race at Kentucky Speedway and the beginning of the playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway.

As the poor results stack up, Earnhardt admitted he’s slumped back into old form.

“I told myself when I had that little time out of the car that I was going to come back, and I was just going to enjoy it,” Earnhardt said. “I was going to be this great guy, so much fun to be around, and not so hard on everybody.

“But you can’t help it. It’s midseason, and I’m back to midseason form with my attitude. You can’t help it when you want to do well, and I want to do as well this weekend as I did at this track six years ago. It’s no more, no less. If you’re going to come here and do the work, put all that effort in there, you might as well try your best.”

Given his position and the standings and eagerness to please his fans, Earnhardt is likely to maintain his current stress until the end of the season, or at least until he manages a trip to victory lane. He already admits to feeling extra pressure in his final Daytona start.

“I think at Daytona there was an urgency, you know, because I think it’s an easier race to win for me than it is here,” Earnhardt said. “Or I think that I go in there knowing what I need to do to win. I felt like I was very aggressive in the race and having a lot of fun and my car was amazing and all I needed to do was to be right there at the end and we didn’t get to do that.

“Do I think that we don’t have any more chances? I think we can show up somewhere and get the job done. But it’s just not going to come as easy as it might have come at Daytona. And it’s going to be some work.”

Aaron Bearden typically writes for KickinTheTires.net. He is freelancing for JeffGluck.com this weekend. You can follow him at @AaronBearden93 on Twitter.