- Hamlin identified Ryan Blaney as the “guy to beat.”
- Questioned Busch’s future, noting a five-year struggle in Next Gen era.
- Following Gibbs’ Bristol win, Hamlin urged fans to offer “grace.”
There are plenty of opinions in NASCAR. Not all of them matter. But when Denny Hamlin speaks, though, the garage listens, because he’s not guessing; he has lived it. Week after week on Actions Detrimental, Hamlin pulls back the curtain in a way few active drivers are willing to, mixing blunt honesty with the kind of context only a veteran of his stature can provide.
This time, the conversation hit a little deeper. Fresh off a chaotic weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hamlin sized up the field. From calling Ryan Blaney the benchmark of the moment, to raising uncomfortable questions about Kyle Busch’s future, and urging fans to rethink how they view Ty Gibbs, his takes felt less like hot opinions and more like a reality check for NASCAR Nation.
Denny Hamlin on Ryan Blaney’s rise and Kyle Busch’s uncertain NASCAR future
If there’s one Cup driver who has quietly set the standard in 2026, it’s Ryan Blaney, and Hamlin didn’t shy away from addressing it. Coming off a near-win at Bristol, where the Team Penske ace led 190 laps of the race before narrowly missing out on the win.
The No. 12 driver is currently second in the standings, 62 points behind the leader, Tyler Reddick, with one win, six top-10s, and three top-5 finishes. So when Hamlin’s co-host asked him whether Blaney is currently the best driver in the field, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran offered a telling response.
“Gosh, it’s hard to say no on that,” the veteran admitted when asked if Blaney is the best driver in the field right now. “I would say Ryan Blaney is week-in, week-out the guy that you got to beat right now.”
In Hamlin’s eyes, what separates Blaney is consistency paired with raw pace. Week after week, regardless of track type, Blaney has shown up with speed. Even in races where things don’t go perfectly, whether it’s the persistent pit road issues or late-race chaos, the 2023 NCS champion is still in contention.
Hamlin also pointed out that while others, like Tyler Reddick, are part of the conversation, Blaney’s edge lies in how often he’s fast. “We always live in the moment… I just think the guy is just really fast,” he said.
Hamlin goes in hard
Then there’s Kyle Busch, whose future has become one of the biggest question marks in the garage. Once a perennial title contender, the Cup Series’ all-time winningest driver (63 wins) is now stuck in a spiral, his winless streak stretching beyond 100 races.
Reflecting on the two-time champion’s precarious free agency situation, Hamlin asked bluntly, “Where’s he gonna go?”
The reality, as Hamlin sees it, is complicated. At 40 years old and coming off multiple seasons below his usual standard, Busch isn’t the automatic top-tier signing he once was.
“What big team is going to hire him?” Hamlin continued, pointing out that even top organizations like Joe Gibbs Racing are already settled with their lineups.
Perhaps the most telling part of Hamlin’s take was his reminder that Busch’s struggles aren’t new. “This is not new news… this has been like this for five years. We have to have an honest conversation at some point.” That honesty cuts deep, especially given the history between the two as former teammates, but according to Hamlin, Busch is another old-timer who hasn’t found his groove in the Next-Gen car yet.
Hamlin’s take on Gibbs’ rise and Zilisch’s growing pains
If Busch represents uncertainty, Ty Gibbs represents momentum. And according to Hamlin, it’s time people start seeing him differently. For much of his early Cup career, Gibbs has been one of the most polarizing figures in the garage.
Whether it was his aggressive driving or the circumstances surrounding his promotion, the perception around him formed quickly. But the No. 11 driver, who has had his fair share of run-ins and disagreements, believes that perception is overdue for a reset.
“I think people were very soured by the fact that he took the ride when Kyle left,” he said, referencing the transition that put Gibbs in one of the sport’s most high-profile seats. But growth is exactly what Hamlin sees now.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone deserves some grace,” he said. The No. 54’s recent performances are starting to force that change. His breakthrough win at Bristol was more than just a milestone; it was validation.
“Flashes of talent”
The 23-year-old is currently fourth in the standings with a career-defining win at BMS, six top-10s, and four top-5s boosting his credentials.
Hamlin put it simply, “You should be able to evolve your feelings about a certain person based on recent events.” Still, not every young driver is on the same trajectory. For instance, Connor Zilisch, one of the most talked-about rookies entering the season, has found the Cup Series to be a much tougher adjustment.
“Connor is not performing like we thought,” Hamlin said, stating the obvious. His results so far haven’t lived up to the hype. While flashes of talent are there, consistency has been harder to come by.
Blaney is building momentum, Busch is facing uncertainty
“The problem is… they’re struggling as an organization right now,” Hamlin explained, before dropping a few pieces of advice to the 19-year-old, rooted in resilience and patience.
“You just stay the course. Eventually, may the river flow and hit you in the a**, and you start going downriver. I don’t know. I think some of it comes with time. I don’t know how much of it is Connor, how much of it is car. If his teammate were up there winning races and whatnot, I would throw more of a caution to the Zilisch thing, but I just think that they’re struggling as an organization right now, and I think they would admit that.” Hamlin said.
What stands out most in Hamlin’s perspective is the long view. In NASCAR, nothing is settled in a single race or even a single season. While Blaney is building momentum, Busch is facing uncertainty, Gibbs is rewriting his narrative, and Zilisch is navigating the growing pains.
And Hamlin, as always, is right there in the middle of it to offer a perspective few can match, and fewer are willing to voice.
