Denny Hamlin responded to the Hendrick Motorsports Snickers photo on the championship stage at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a jab at previous comments made by the driver of the No. 11.
After the Brickyard 400 last July, when the highest Hendrick finisher was Alex Bowman in 19th, Hamlin weighed in on the team’s struggles. Hamlin joked that the team needed a Snickers in reference to the candy bar’s slogan “You’re not you when you’re hungry.”
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When Kyle Larson won his third NASCAR Cup Series championship on Sunday, HMS took an opportunity to fire back.
Hendrick Motorsports & Company Pose With Snickers in Victory Lane
During an episode of “Actions Detrimental” following the Brickyard 400, Hamlin said he had taken notice to the fan criticism of Hendrick Motorsports. Hamlin compared it to the struggles Stewart-Haas Racing faced in their final season in 2024, where fans on social media were ripping on the organization.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver joked that maybe Hendrick Motorsports could benefit from a Snickers.
“Stewart-Haas, they were getting beat like a drum in their comments the last year of their existence. The ol’ Hendrick bros, they’re starting to get in there. Is this our norm now? Are we just a teens team? They’re not folks. They need to have a Snickers. They’ve not been themselves in a while,” Hamlin said.
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During the championship celebration at Homestead, Larson, crew chief Cliff Daniels, car owner Rick Hendrick, and HMS vice chairman and retired NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon posed on stage, each holding a Snickers in their mouths while standing next to the championship trophy.
“Feeling like ourselves again,” via Hendrick Motorsports on X.
Hamlin Responds to Viral Snickers Photo: ‘Did They Know I Was Picking Their Side?’
Hamlin was questioned about the viral Hendrick Motorsports photo during media availability prior to Tuesday night’s NASCAR Awards. The 64-time Cup Series winner questioned if he knew he was defending Hendrick during the July podcast episode.
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Hamlin concluded he did not expect “anyone with a vest” to get what he was saying, likely a reference to the black vests worn by HMS executives and employees.
“Did they know I was picking their side? … I didn’t expect anyone with a vest to understand,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin clarified he was referring to the “trolls” who were bashing HMS for their lack of performance. The 45-year-old took a humorous jab at Hendrick’s other three drivers, William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman, for not winning the championship.
“I think I was talking about the trolls in the comments, but they should give some Snickers for those three other guys that didn’t win the championship,” Hamlin said.
