“It Diminishes the Greats!” Denny Hamlin Warns NASCAR Against Lowering Hall of Fame Standards

Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin has shared his thoughts on the controversial NASCAR Hall of Fame debate started by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“It Diminishes the Greats!” Denny Hamlin Warns NASCAR Against Lowering Hall of Fame Standards

Denny Hamlin (Via @JoeGibbsRacing/X)

The NASCAR community is having a significant debate over Hall of Fame criteria. It all started last week, when Dale Jr. Download podcast producer, Travis Rockhold, argued against claims that Justin Allgaier is HOF worthy over his second division career. Some claimed the best Cup drivers should get there while others argued that overall contribution triumph over racing legacy.

Three times Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin has shared his thoughts on the debate in the latest episode of his podcast. He highlighted how the system right now has its flaws and how inducting more individuals to the HOF is diminishing the legacy of true racing grates. The veteran pointed out that NASCAR should follow NFL or MLB, where there will be years where no-one makes the list.

To oversimplify this, I think it’s okay if everyone they’re talking about gets in, but it certainly should be a tiered system. … I just think it diminishes the greats, in my opinion.  For crying out loud, Bill Belichick didn’t get in the NFL Hall of Fame on the first try. That was wrong, but I’m in favor of maybe some years, zero get in, right? There’s just not that many people. I don’t know why there has to be a certain amount every time. We’re going to run out of people.

Denny Hamlin said on his podcast.

Further talking about the point, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran admitted that the sport will soon run out of drivers to be inducted into the HOF and the racer with average career in the premier division will start getting nominated. If Denny Hamlin’s predictions come true, it will discredit the legacy the sport wants to leave behind.

I think in the next 15 years, I think someone with 10 Cup wins we’re going to start talking about Hall of Fame. I’m serious because you’re just going to run out of people, or you’re just going to lower the standards and say, ‘Alright, let’s now look at someone that’s won one O’Reilly championship and 15 races.’

Denny Hamlin added via Actions Detrimental podcast.

Denny Hamlin exposes the personal bias of the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In the same conversation earlier, Hamlin talked about how most of the people that is calling for lower division drivers’ induction have personal bias. The whole debate started when HOF Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a case for his NOAPS driver Justin Allgaier’s induction.

Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

I believe that most of the people that have adamant arguments for the lower series guys, they have a connection to them somehow. They are their friends, they grew up watching them or something. So, they have an emotional connection to those people. ‘I want my guy in! He’s my guy! He deserves to be in!’ I think it just depends what you want the Hall of Fame to be.

Denny Hamlin said.

Most of the casual NASCAR fans that watches only the Cup races might not even recognizes these inductees and that not a good look for the sport. The HOF should host racers and personals that have an impact beyond the sport.

Now, I see that folks are making the statements that ‘It’s the NASCAR Hall of Fame.’ Well, go ask anyone that is the very casual [fan] as in they know the NASCAR name — they’re not watching — do they know that there’s like six series of NASCAR? No, they know of Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Richard Petty. That’s Sunday. They don’t know about all the steps, right?

Denny Hamlin added.

The comments from the JGR driver are on point as the standard to Hof indication is clearly lower in NASCAR compared to other sports. It is a situation that clearly needs to be addressed to keep the sporting legacy of the racer alive.

Also Read: Kevin Harvick Urges NASCAR to Host a Cup Race at Montreal