I have been glued to my TV since the haulers first rolled into Daytona, watching every broadcast about NASCAR. It's been a long off-season and I simply couldn't get enough racing. The theme of most conversations about Denny Hamlin is how he is ready to take the Veteran title and run with it. He's ready to be the leader and lead by example.
There's just one problem. Hamlin doesn't think he has done anything. He looks at Kyle Busch, his 23 year old teammate, who won 20 races among NASCAR's elite 3 series including 8 wins in Sprint Cup in 2008 and feels like he doesn't measure up. When looking for guidance, 18 year old rookie Joey Logano sees two very different styles and if you look at the stats, Kyle Busch certainly has a lot of accomplishments compared to Hamlin's 4 wins.
Denny Hamlin sells himself short. He won the Budweiser Shootout in his rookie season, his first time at the famed Daytona speedway. A fete young Logano didn't quite capture when he showed up there. I also recall Denny's first win after spinning out and tearing the battery out of its compartment and replacing it on pit road, going laps down and coming back to win his first race. And a repeat when he returned to the track that seems to fit his style like a glove.
I could rattle off stats and reasons for my favorite driver to hold his head up high all day long. I have backup in Darrell Waltrip and other announcers who agree that Hamlin has indeed accomplished a lot. But the cold, hard truth is Denny Hamlin is his own worst enemy. You're only as good as you think you are and quite frankly the Fed Ex Toyota pilot has a distorted view of his talents.
Three-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson knows that every week he could go out and crash, be the unfortunate victim of someone else's poor decision or he could have a parts failure. But he doesn't dwell on it. He has confidence and swagger and knows that Chad Knaus has it all covered. He knows his crew is the best there is and puts his undying faith in them. Wanna be a champion? Start following that example and walk in his footsteps, develop that attitude and put it to good use.
Mike Ford is the best there is and he's more than capable of being Championship calaber. Joe and JD Gibbs have proven they know what it takes to win titles, Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte have delivered that. The only piece of the puzzle that has to fall into place is the driver.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want Denny to be arrogant, cocky and conceited. I just want him to have confidence in his abilities. He has potential but until he gets the swagger he will be the driver he fears he's becoming. Take it from me, your dream is in the palm of your hand. Stop letting it slip through your fingers with doubts and fears. You're made of steel Champ now all you have to do is figure out how to walk and talk like it.
Every race has the potential to be your defining moment Denny Hamlin. It's not about fear of crashing and blowing it, it's about knowing you can do it and driving your ass off to win it. See ya in Victory Lane and on that stage in NYC when you're ready. Until then I'll be waiting.
