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Denny Hamlin Interview following win at Gateway | VICTORY LAP

Denny Hamlin Interview following win at Gateway | VICTORY LAP

Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX Sep 08, 2025 10 min
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About this episode

Denny Hamlin shares insights after his Gateway win, highlighting his relaxed approach to the NASCAR playoffs focused on winning races rather than stressing over points. He discusses the evolving leadership style within his team, emphasizing positivity and patience over criticism. Hamlin also opens up about his newfound hobby of fishing, which helps him find calm and patience amid the chaos of racing life. The conversation blends race strategy, team dynamics, and personal growth, offering a unique look at Hamlin's mindset during a critical part of the season.

Topics: playoff mindset race strategy team leadership crew chief relationship driver personality patience fishing hobby personal growth race preparation stress management
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slash M365 Copilot. I just feel as though I'm not putting any pressure on myself. I'm not going to
get too caught up in, I got to survive this round, I got to survive that round. The end goal is to
win a championship. If I can win, things are going to work themselves out. They don't, they don't.
Well, Mr. Hamlin, you are back in Victory Lane again at a great time of the year,
looked really relaxed after the race. But the thing that I can't get over is how fast
those cars are to start these playoffs. So congratulations and tell us about your weekend.
Yeah, it was a good weekend. And, you know, we, for two consecutive weeks, we actually didn't have
a good practice. I felt like, you know, we were a little off on our speed. But it's something that
we hemmed up for qualifying. Both, both times we just got to a place where, you know, he says,
all right, tell me what you need for the short run. Let's figure out qualifying first,
and then we'll kind of work on what happens in race trim. And so we did it. He made big adjustments
at Darlington for the one lap. And it was like, okay, I said, that's the direction I need now
for race trim. Same thing at Gateway where we were, you know, a very average, very pedestrian
when it came to kind of lap times. And I said, you know, here's what I need in the short run.
And when, when I drove it, I says, okay, now that's what I need for race trim as well. So it
sent the team in a direction to, you know, to work on it. And obviously we got better overnight.
When you, when you talk about that, that relationship, I'm, I'm interesting because
you've obviously been through a lot of this with, with Chris Gabehart. Now you're with,
with Gail and all the things that you, you have done. What's been the, what's been the
difference in approach as you've, as you've gone into the playoffs because you're super relaxed,
having fun after the race with, with the fans and everything that, that you have going on,
you just seem super relaxed, you know, with, with everything that you have going on around you.
But obviously you're winning on the racetrack. Am I reading that wrong? Because it just seems
like there's a little bit of difference in, in your demeanor over the first couple of weeks.
I just, I said it before the playoffs started that this is going to be the loosest that
I'm going to approach this playoffs. I do, you know, I'm going to care less about the result,
you know, which is like, if you're a golfer, you know, right? We say, I want to shoot scratch
today. That's my goal is to shoot scratch. That's a bad, bad thing to do. I, I live shot
to shot, which is race to race. Now the end goal is to win a championship, but I just want to get
some birdies here and there, which is a couple of race wins. If I can do that, things are going to
work itself out to where I can achieve that end goal, which is shooting scratch. And so
I, I'm not going to get too caught up in, oh my gosh, points and I got to survive this
round. I got to survive that round. Like I just want to win. And if I can win,
things are going to work themselves out. And if they don't, they don't, I'll have a chance to win
seven days later. So I just feel as though I'm not putting any pressure on myself whatsoever
to go out there and get to Phoenix, win Phoenix. If I do, I do, if I don't, I don't,
but it's going to be about how can I keep winning and things will work of themselves out
in the standings. And I just got to keep doing my job. And if I do my job,
I, the result is what the result is. That's funny that you, that you say that because
we've had some conversation on here the last couple of weeks about
the driver's personality and the way that the driver feels and the things that he says
have a direct effect on how your pit crew acts on how your crew chief acts.
Is that a, I mean, do you believe in that? Because I always feel like the driver's
personality is the, the personality that the team carries.
I agree with that. I certainly do. And then it's changed throughout my career.
Early on, you know, when, when I had a bad pit stop, it was like, come on guys,
you don't get your head out of your ass or whatever it might be, right?
But now it's like, I understand the leadership aspect of, aspect of it a lot more and understand
that, you know, there's nobody that wants you to win as much as what you're,
the guys wearing the same uniform as you. And so, you know, you got to let them,
you know, do their jobs and, and certainly rely on your team leaders, your crew chiefs,
your car chiefs to lead the, you know, that your pit crews. And so I'm going to pump them
up when they do a great job. But as far as beating them down when we're not, I just don't,
I haven't seen that be, you know, something that's worked. And so I do think that you have to be the
face of your team and the leader of your team in the sense of that, you know, you set the tone.
If you seem excited inside the race car when things are not going as planned,
I think everyone hits the panic. You influenced now your crew chief to make,
maybe make a call he didn't want to make had, had his IQ not been at the race track,
you know, teams make great strategy calls. But as soon as they get the race track, they, they,
their IQ drops 50 points, just simply because of all the, all the things going on. And so
how can you be that level head to say, we didn't see this coming. It's fine. What's the next step?
What's the next right step? And that will lead us to our best result on that day.
That's age and wisdom, my friend. I've been on the other side of that as well.
I'm just completely demolishing them and it never, it never, it never, it never works.
It never works out in your favor. It just makes, makes things worse as we saw
several times on pit road and the race track this weekend. So you mentioned comparing it to golf.
What's this fishing thing? What, what's, what's happening with the, with all the fishing?
Is that like the new Denny Hamlin relief or what is, what is going on here?
So I think it is, it's a lot like, there is so much chaos. Obviously we know all the things that,
that I'm going through. And I feel like it is my moment that I, it's quiet. You know, even
we, we both live in a house with multiple children. And, and even your house at times
is, is, is a chaotic spot where it's like, oh my gosh, I'm just trying to lock myself
in a room and just have some quiet here for a second. And the water is the place for me to
do that. And I found, you know, great enjoyment out of just slowing down. I mean, it's teaching me
patience. You know, you can go out there for hours and hours and just keep casting and not
even get a bite, but, but it teaches me patience. And that's something that I feel like I need
to improve on as a person is being a, you know, a more patient person. And I think that
it's helping with some life lessons. And if I can catch a fish on the way, that'd be great.
So, so let me ask you, let me ask you this. All right. Have you had to teach yourself how to
like tie your own lines? And, and so how many times have you cast the thing out there and the,
and the, and the, and the bait just goes with it? Are you, are you still a rookie?
Are you? No, a few. I've learned the hard way. I've, you know, had really nice bait. I've spent a
lot of time. I've tied this knot next, you know, boom, I pop and then there goes the bait. The line
is snapped. So my YouTube is full of all kinds of fishing things. A lot of it is knots. You
know, there's several different knots. I'm tying one that's, you know, you got to tie to get
your line on the baitcaster itself. You're tying now a leader line. You're tying the line.
You're tying the knot on the actual bait. This is a, an education. I'm, I'm like a six-year-old
right now on YouTube, basically trying to find all these different things. What am I doing wrong?
Yeah. So last question. So have you thrown your fishing pole in the water yet?
No, I did catch a kid's fishing, but I thought I had a fish the other night
and I pulled it up and I'm like, oh man, I'm pulling, this is pretty good size. I pulled up and I
noticed it's not fighting back. It's just heavy. And I'm like, God, I didn't caught a damn tree fish.
And, and I pull up and I have a picture and it's a damn kid's fishing pole that was at the bottom
of the lake. And I'm like, of course that's the one thing I catch. Oh, that's awesome. Well,
congratulations. Hopefully you can, you can catch a real fish and keep this,
keep this run, keep this run going throughout the playoffs. You guys look like you're on it.
So congrats and good luck. All right. Appreciate it.
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