![\"Denny](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Denny-Daytona.jpg\")
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@DennyDelivers2 on X<\/p>\n
NASCAR\u00a0superstar\u00a0Denny Hamlin\u00a0is a three-time winner of the legendary\u00a0Daytona 500, and heading into the 2026 race, he\u2019s either supremely confident, or he doesn\u2019t care all that much about the result.<\/p>\n
Hamlin, who finished as the runner-up in last year\u2019s championship race in heartbreaking fashion, opted to skip Saturday\u2019s final practice ahead of Sunday\u2019s race, which has been moved up<\/a> due to expected inclement weather.<\/p>\n Now, he wasn\u2019t the only one to skip the practice session. In fact, only 19 cars in the 37-car field actually participated, with several teams opting not to risk wrecking their cars the day before the race.<\/p>\n However, not many were as bold as Hamlin to not even pay attention to the session, instead opting to fish on Daytona\u2019s infield lake, Lake Lloyd.<\/p>\n Denny Hamlin Skipping Daytona 500 Allowed Him To Show Off A New Boat<\/p>\n Hamlin, 45, has had an extremely stressful few months.<\/p>\n First, he lost out on his first career championship after a late caution jumbled up the final race in Phoenix. Then, he \u201cwon\u201d a landmark antitrust case<\/a> against NASCAR in December after the series was forced to settle.<\/p>\n Finally, his father, Dennis, passed away following a house fire while both he and Hamlin\u2019s mother were in the house.<\/p>\n But there was one bright spot of Hamlin\u2019s offseason. He became the owner of a new $68K fishing boat from Bass Pro Shop.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you guys have seen over the last few months, I\u2019ve gotten into fishing quite a bit. Of course, I had to go to Bass Pro for my brand new fishing boat. Ended up getting a Nitro Z20 XL here. It\u2019s got pretty much everything on it that you could want,\u201d Hamlin said in an Instagram reel<\/a> showing off the new purchase.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026It\u2019s got the factory 12-inch Garmin screen here. Runs everything from side view, live scope. I\u2019m a race car driver, of course. I\u2019ve got to have a gas pedal,\u201d he continued. \u201cYou see, down there, got the hot foot gas pedal, which is amazing. Can\u2019t be running the throttle up here. You got to use your feet.\u201d<\/p>\n So maybe Hamlin just wanted to show off his new investment? Either way, it was a bizarre sight to see him so detached from racing during a practice session for the season\u2019s biggest event.<\/p>\n \t\t\t