The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series kicked off with a bang at The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, where Denny Hamlin dominated, leading 171 laps, before securing the victory. But the real drama wasn’t just about Hamlin’s win—it was about how he handled Chase Elliott on track.
Did Denny Hamlin Go Soft on Chase Elliott? Dale Jr. Thinks So
One of the race’s most talked-about moments was when Chase Elliott muscled past Hamlin to take the lead. Fans expected a trademark Hamlin payback, but instead, the No. 11 raced Elliott clean—a move that shocked many, including NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“I didn’t want Chase to get spun out, but Chase didn’t get roughed up for the win,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
“Chase kind of leaned on [Hamlin] a little bit, and then Denny just fell in behind him. Next corner, never f*ing touched him. I’m like, ‘What are we doing?’”**
For a track like Bowman Gray, known as “The Madhouse”, fans expected short-track chaos and aggressive racing—especially from Hamlin, a driver with a history of hard-nosed tactics.
Has NASCAR’s New Generation Gone Too Soft?
Earnhardt Jr. believes that the culture in NASCAR has changed, with younger drivers being more cautious than in past decades.
“That’s not what anybody that bought a f*ing ticket to the place wanted,” Dale Jr. said bluntly.**
“The driver mentality over the last several decades has shifted toward racing a lot more clean.”
While clean racing is often praised, Bowman Gray is notorious for contact, and fans expected a classic short-track showdown—not a gentleman’s duel.
Hamlin Defends His Decision: “I Thought I Could Win It Naturally”
On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin explained why he didn’t rough up Elliott, admitting he thought he could get the lead back the “natural” way—without needing to move the No. 9 out of the way.
“I should have, in hindsight — I was like, I should have just kind of moved him out of the way, like he moved me out of the way,” Hamlin admitted.
“But I was like, I don’t know. I just thought, ‘It’s all right, I’m good enough — I’m good enough to get them the natural way,’ but I wasn’t.”
Unfortunately for Hamlin, Elliott had the better long-run car, and by the time he realized he wasn’t getting past cleanly, it was too late.
Should Hamlin Have Been More Aggressive?
Hamlin did what many would call the “right” thing—racing clean. But at the same time, fans expected fireworks, especially given Hamlin’s reputation for hard racing.
Will the No. 11 Toyota keep up his aggressive driving style in 2025?
Or has Hamlin turned a new page?
Either way, Dale Jr. and the fans will be watching closely.
