“He did not disappoint”: NASCAR veteran reacts to how Denny Hamlin’s bold post-Michigan win antics made fans stick to their seat

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin logged his 57th career win at the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway last week, impressing his entire fandom. However, what impressed Kenny Wallace was something else.

Denny Hamlin has his fair share of critics in the NASCAR Cup Series. But there is no doubt that he is currently one of the most popular drivers in the sport.

Denny Hamlin is also known for his famous “I beat your favorite driver” statement. Needless to say, he didn’t shy away from his post-race tradition at the Brooklyn-based racetrack. And that’s exactly what amused Wallace.

Reflecting on the same on the Herm & Schrader podcast, the ex-NASCAR driver said,

“Something happened at the end of the race that really made me happy. It's been a long time since we've watched this. Usually happened back in the 90's. When Denny Hamlin won that race, every fan stayed in their seats. Because they were waiting for Denny Hamlin, and he did not disappoint.”

Denny Hamlin is currently chasing his 60th series win. 15 races in, he sits third in the championship standings with seven top-fives, eight top-10s, and 494 points to his name.

Hamlin made his 700th Cup start at Nashville Superspeedway a couple weeks ago and came home third. This made him the 22nd driver in the series' history to attain the milestone. With his latest victory at Michigan, he also became the 10th driver to win a point-paying race following their 700th start.

Next up for the 44-year-old speedster is the Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City. Fans can watch the race on Prime Video, 3 pm ET onwards, or listen to live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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Racing will come second this coming Sunday for Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin and his fiancée, Jordan Fish, are expecting their third child anytime soon. Their original due date was June 1, the day NASCAR hosted the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Needless to say, Hamlin was determined to drop his racing plans and be with his partner if needed.

Hamlin’s priority remains the same. He will put racing second if Jordan goes into labor this coming weekend. Detailing the same, the driver said (via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio),

“I said from the very beginning, if she hasn't had it by the time I need to leave for Mexico, then I'm not gonna go to Mexico. I think that that's the proper thing to do. But really just letting her call the shots. I think that's the best thing.”

"And when she, her body and her mind says that it's time, then that's what we'll do. And ultimately, I need to be there for her during, post and and all those things. So, just gonna make sure I spend the proper time with her and obviously the racing will come second this week,” he added.

NASCAR is most likely to grant him a playoff waiver if that happens. As things stand, if the baby isn’t born before Thursday, June 12, Hamlin will be staying home. And if it does, he will board that flight to Mexico.