{"id":193409,"date":"2025-09-30T23:39:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T23:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/193409\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T23:39:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T23:39:09","slug":"denny-hamlin-explains-middle-finger-etiquette-in-nascar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/193409\/","title":{"rendered":"Denny Hamlin Explains Middle Finger Etiquette In NASCAR"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"NASCAR<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Jim Dedmon\/Imagn<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Carbonatix<\/p>\n

Audio By Carbonatix<\/p>\n

Late in Sunday\u2019s\u00a0NASCAR\u00a0Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, it appeared that 23XI Racing driver\u00a0Bubba Wallace\u00a0was set to win his second race of the 2025 season and, in doing so, reach the third round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n

However, Wallace\u2019s hopes of a race win disappeared in the final turn when he was taken out by fellow driver and 23XI co-owner\u00a0Denny Hamlin, who himself was then passed by Chase Elliott for the victory.<\/p>\n

Immediately after the race, Wallace came over the radio and told his team that Hamlin was a \u201cf\u2014ing d\u2014-e\u201d and later passed Hamlin on the back stretch, giving him the middle finger in the process.<\/p>\n

.@BubbaWallace<\/a> was not happy with @dennyhamlin<\/a> following the checkered flag at Kansas. \ud83e\udee2 pic.twitter.com\/aqTaZcUTsG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Denny Hamlin Didn\u2019t Mind Bubba Wallace Giving Him The Finger<\/p>\n

Now, if any one of us gave our bosses the middle finger and used the same words to describe them, we\u2019d likely be out of a job. Hamlin, however, took no issue with what Wallace said and did.<\/p>\n

In fact, he said that he likely would\u2019ve done the same if he were in a similar position. However, there is one very important caveat.<\/p>\n

Sometimes middle fingers are okay\u2026 but let\u2019s keep them on the track. \ud83d\udca5 pic.twitter.com\/tTGpkctoNS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf he were to flip me off in 23XI (facilities), as the car owner, we\u2019d have employer-employee problems,\u201d Hamlin said on his \u201cActions Detrimental\u201d podcast. \u201cBut as a competitor, he\u2019s flipping off the driver of the 11. I don\u2019t have an issue with that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you can motherf\u2014 the driver of the 11 because you\u2019re upset that the finish didn\u2019t go as you hoped. But anything directed at me as the owner, I would certainly,\u00a0certainly\u00a0have exception to that. Because as an owner, I know the tremendous resources that myself and (co-owner) Michael (Jordan) give Bubba every single week to go out there and compete.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamlin\u2019s explanation makes complete sense. But it also puts both he and Wallace in a difficult spot. Had Wallace won the race, he\u2019d have locked himself in the next round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Now he enters the final race of the second round more or less needing a victory in Charlotte to advance, while Hamlin is all but a shoe-in to advance on points and would\u2019ve been in a pretty good spot even if Wallace had one.<\/p>\n

Obviously, you want to see every driver out there racing as hard as they can. But it\u2019s definitely fair to wonder if Hamlin could\u2019ve used more discretion in the way he raced Wallace.<\/p>\n

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