A lot can change in 17 races. At least, it did for Denny Hamlin this season. Back at Michigan International Speedway, where he secured his 57th career win, Hamlin daunted the Michigan crowd with the ‘O-H’ gesture, a nod to his Ohio State Buckeyes fandom. And then quipped, “Daddy, I’m sorry, but I beat your favorite driver, folks… all of them.” But last weekend’s Las Vegas race completely flipped the script for the 44-year-old.

The shift came post-race, when a teary-eyed Hamlin said, “This is the point where I kind of give the fans some s— but not today.” Having dedicated this win to his ailing father, Hamlin didn’t shy away from showing a vulnerable side to him, keeping the “villain” mask away for the weekend, and with Hamlin’s 60th win tying him with NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick, the

See Full Page