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Denny Hamlin Hits Booing Fans With ‘Bandwagon’ Jibe After NASCAR Playoff Win

Jared Turner Written by Sports EditorJared Turner
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Denny Hamlin

In case you live under a rock or have just somehow managed to never witness Denny Hamlin winning a NASCAR Cup Series race, the veteran driver has quite a few haters.

And those haters don’t hesitate to make their disdain for Hamlin known. Especially whenever the Joe Gibbs Racing driver scores a victory.

So, it came as no surprise on Sunday when Hamlin received a less-than-warm reception from the paying customers at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) outside St. Louis moments after performing a showy celebratory burnout on the frontstretch.

But Hamlin, ever the antagonizer, was having none of it. And he wasted no time hitting back in his trademark obnoxiously comical fashion.

What Did Denny Hamlin Say To Stir Up The Crowd At Gateway?

Denny Hamlin certainly had every reason to savor his win at Gateway. Along with becoming the first Cup Series driver of 2025 to score five victories, he became the second driver to punch a ticket to the Round of 12.

And he did it all in style, too, leading a race-high 75 of 240 laps from the pole.

So, it was no wonder that Hamlin performed easily one of the most prolonged burnouts of his career. And it was also no surprise that many of the spectators in attendance didn’t approve.

Hamlin, of course, didn’t care. And he took the opportunity to stir the proverbial pot in vintage Denny Hamlin fashion.

Just moments after dedicating the win to his father, Dennis, who has been ill, Hamlin quickly morphed from sentimental son into salty yet triumphant villain.

“Man, it’s just a great victory,” Hamlin said as boos rained down, largely drowning out some simultaneous cheers. “Y’all can boo me. You can either get on the bandwagon, or you can get run over by it.”

Well-known NASCAR reporter Marty Snider responded to that feisty comment by asking Hamlin if he still loves the boos, which are a reaction he’s admittedly come to embrace in recent times.

“Bring ’em,” the now 59-time Cup Series race winner said defiantly. “Bring ’em all.”

Veteran Driver Doubles Down On Post-Race Taunt At Gateway

After heading to the World Wide Technology Raceway media center for post-race media obligations, Denny Hamlin received another interesting question from a reporter.

The query: Would his father approve of his “bandwagon” comment aimed at the fans during his earlier televised interview?

“Probably not,” Hamlin said.

The reporter then suggested that Hamlin’s dad might be OK with his post-race antics at Gateway if the son begged for the father’s forgiveness.

“You beg for forgiveness on this one, just because you never know,” Hamlin said. “This could be my last win. This could be the last time I’m talking to you with my driver’s suit on after a race. We just never know.

“I try my best to enjoy the moment and do the best I can to rile up the fans any chance I get.”

And rile them up, he did — even given the possibility his father might not think too highly of it.

Jared Turner Written by Sports EditorJared Turner
Jared Turner is a motorsports writer who has covered NASCAR for 20 years. He has interviewed over 20 NASCAR Hall of Famers and around 100 drivers, crew chiefs, and team owners, both past and present. He has also covered the sport for FOX Sports (where he was a two-time recipient of the FOX “X” Award for “Xtraordinary” job performance), NASCAR.com, Sporting News, NASCAR Pole Position Magazine, the SPEED network, and plenty of other online and print-only publications throughout his career. Notably, Jared has penned dozens of articles for NASCAR souvenir programs, including several featured prominently in Daytona 500 keepsakes. A Virginia Press Association award winner and former member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), Jared has racked up accolades both for his writing and his academic work. He studied both Communication and Psychology at Virginia Tech, where he was permanently enshrined in Phi Beta Kappa — the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society. Jared excels at feature writing and opinion writing, much of which stems from his dedication to all levels of racing.
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