Denny Hamlin dismisses Mamba Smith's controversial statement as 'a company talking point'

Denny Hamlin has played down Mamba Smith's recent statement on his podcast. Smith, who is also a co-host on Kevin Harvick's podcast as well as the 'Chief Hype Officer' of NASCAR, claimed that the goal in NASCAR isn't necessarily to crown the best driver.

Instead, Smith said the goal is to 'crown the best team who executed the best when the pressure was at its highest and the lights were the brightest'.

Taking up this statement on Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin took the example of Corey Heim. Hamlin proposed a scenario in which Heim, who already has seven wins to his name, ends up with 10 wins heading into Phoenix. But in the penultimate race of the season, Heim gets a flat tire and his race is compromised.

Hamlin challenged Smith's theory with this scenario, wondering if Heim didn't perform when the lights were the brightest or whether if it was simply because he got unlucky.

"We have luck involved in our sport, more so than any other sport. So that argument doesn't hold any weight, hardly at all, just simply because, and again, the ratio on the comments to likes is speaking for itself, but I don't know. I've seen that this whole when the 'lights are bright, the pressure' like that seems like it's a company talking point that PR is pushing to, 'This is what we're going to say when it comes to crowning a champion'. But realistically, I think the fan base is kind of had enough of it. They understand it a little bit better," Denny Hamlin explained. [14:30]

Denny Hamlin mentioned how at Daytona in the coming race, Cody Ware who has zero top fives this year, could eliminate drivers like Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick by winning the race. Hamlin claimed that while they're all 'supposed to just be cool', the fans are 'over it' and have had enough because the format 'doesn't make sense'.

Denny Hamlin looks back on Kevin Harvick's 2020 season to further his point

Considering Mamba Smith is a co-host on Kevin Harvick's podcast, Denny Hamlin expressed interest in his former rival's take on Smith's theory. Hamlin recalled the season when Harvick won nine races but didn't make it to the championship race.

In 2020, the former SHR driver, despite his nine-win tally, he failed to qualify for the Championship 4 after a heartbreaking race, leaving him eight points short of advancing.

Speaking about that, Denny Hamlin emphasized on how much he has been vocal about Harvick being a deserving final 4 member for the 2020 season.

"That was ridiculous that he did not get to be in the final four because of circumstances. You know, some of it was performance during that three race. He had some bad luck," he claimed.

Denny Hamlin added that he can't imagine a system where a driver, who wins 10 races, doesn't get a chance to race for the championship while someone else with not as many wins does.