Denny Hamlin fired back at fans who believe his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota is “cheated up” following his dominant NASCAR Cup Series victory at Michigan. Hamlin won Sunday’s race by 11.11 seconds, the largest margin of victory on an oval in the NextGen era.
The Chesterfield, Virginia native now has three wins this season, with back-to-back triumphs at Nashville and Michigan. However, the success has not come without its criticism, as the 45-year-old responded to those who might think he is not winning fairly.
Hamlin on ‘cheated up’ claims: ‘I love it’
On the recent episode of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Hamlin reflected on the run he has been on over the last few years.
In 2018, Hamlin suffered his first and only winless Cup Series season to date.
The Joe Gibbs Racing star, who had 31 career Cup victories after 2018, has since doubled that number with 32 wins and counting from 2019-2026. His latest win at Michigan tied him with the late Kyle Busch for ninth on the NASCAR Cup Series all-time wins list.
Yet, back in 2018, Hamlin recalls reading on social media that he was “washed” and needs to be fired. His success in recent years is a testament for why you cannot listen to the naysayers, Hamlin said.
What Hamlin loves more than that is those who today say his car is “cheated up,” saying it only makes him more confident behind the wheel.
“What I love is they don’t know what they’re doing. When I look and, ‘That damn car’s cheated up. There’s no (expletive) way. Y’all are making me believe that I’m doing things that you think are impossible. That is awesome and it’s making me more confident, so I love it,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin went on to note that eight drivers in NASCAR history still have more wins than him and questions why they did not get the same accusations.
“What’s crazy though is Jimmie still has 20 more wins. Where the hell were your comments back then? … There’s eight more guys that have more wins. Was there (expletive) cheated up all the time? I don’t know,” Hamlin said.
The 63-time Cup winner acknowledged that perhaps the fans are tired of him winning frequently.
“I think they’ve got fatigue. I get it. I totally get it,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin finished his show with a sarcastic jab at those who accuse him of cheating, jokingly saying it is easy to win when his car has an advantage.
“It ain’t as easy as it looks people, but when you have a car as illegal and cheated up as mine, it’s so easy. Let’s leave them with that,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin closed on point leader Tyler Reddick as The Chase nears
From the start of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Tyler Reddick has been the points leader.
With a series-high five wins, including an unprecedented three straight to start the season, the driver of the No. 45 has been dominant.
Yet, the Cup Series points standings took a massive swing after Michigan. With Hamlin’s dominant win coupled with Reddick’s first DNF of the season, the latter’s point lead was almost cut in half.
After 15 races, and with 11 races remaining until The Chase, Reddick leads Hamlin by 51 points.
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