Kyle Busch gives perfect response to Denny Hamlin taking over his NASCAR villain role

NASCAR veteran Kyle Busch admitted that JGR star Denny Hamlin had replaced him as the villain of the field.

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch (Via IMAGO)

Kyle Busch used to the villain of NASCAR. The RCR veteran had divided opinions amongst fans and was often given mixed responses during race weekends. However, things have changed in recent years. Now, it is Denny Hamlin who has really taken up this role from the 40-year-old. So much so, that even Busch has acknowledged Hamlin as the new NASCAR villain.

Nowadays, it is Denny Hamlin who receives the negative treatment from fans. Crowds love to boo the JGR star, who is not afraid of further riling things up whenever this happens. Hamlin also co-owns 23XI Racing with NBA legend Michael Jordan.

Kyle Busch believes that the reason behind the villain baton being passed to Hamlin lies in his own performances. The NASCAR veteran is currently on a disappointing 69-race winless streak. Busch has suffered during the NextGen era of cars, forcing him in the back of the field. Since the 40-year-old has fallen from the front, he has changed his approach.

Busch, was infamous for speaking his mind over the years, which gained him a negative image. However, since his winless streak, the RCR star understands that it becomes more difficult to back up his words. As such, the 40-year-old no longer tries to be a fool with words, understanding that he might not be able to back up what he says.

When you can be winning, when you can have the clout to be able to back up what you say, you can do it all. You can act a fool all you want because you can back it up. I have nothing to back it up right now, so I had to put the black hat on the shelf and pull out the white one.
Kyle Busch said on Actions Detrimental podcast.

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Denny Hamlin chimes in on Kyle Busch’s personality change in NASCAR

The change in Busch’s approach has been noticed by many, including Denny Hamlin himself. The JGR star reckoned that another reason for fans to stop booing Kyle Busch so often, was that the 40-year-old was now a family man. Fans love to see drivers who often post pictures and videos with their family as it allows them to see their personal side. The RCR star even posted a video of his daughter doing make-up on him recently.

Denny Hamlin admitted that during Busch’s prime days in NASCAR, it appeared that the two-time Cup Series champion was out for blood. This further created an image in the field that Kyle Busch was his own biggest rival who would push himself to the limit every time he was behind the wheel.

I think fans are seeing you — especially as a dad — for how you truly are. Sometimes, I thought when you were younger, your fiercest rival was yourself because you were so intense, that people would read that into that’s not really how Kyle is as a person, that’s who he is as a racer. That’s in the ring. You can do that when you do the things he does behind the wheel.
Denny Hamlin told Kyle Busch.

Denny Hamlin is one of the most interesting characters in NASCAR at the moment. The 44-year-old acknowledges that he is not loved by many, and owns up to it as well. At the Martinsville Speedway in March, Hamlin went to a whole new level by raising an ’11 against the world’ flag after taking victory in the race, symbolizing that he didn’t care if the whole world hated them, he was in NASCAR to win.

Tags: denny hamlin Kyle Busch

#About the Author

Armaan Agarwal

(2627 Articles Published)

Armaan Agarwal is a Motorsport Sub-editor and Content Manager at Firstsportz. He has written over 2500 articles with around 1000 edited pieces under his belt. Armaan has years of experience in the field of journalism, having followed Formula 1 and NASCAR for almost a decade. Nico Rosberg's title victory at the 2016 Abu Dhabi GP against Lewis Hamilton remains engraved in his memory. He started his journey with his own motorsport blog in 2017. At Firstsportz, Armaan provides deep insight into the sport for fans through his special editorial pieces. Armaan has several other skills, including social media content creation, script writing, and debating. He completed his Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication with a gold medal from St. Xavier’s University Kolkata. Presently, he is pursuing his Post Graduation in Broadcast Journalism at the India Today Media Institute with a keen eye at the ever-evolving dynamics of a newsroom. Apart from motorsport, he is an avid reader and keeps himself up to date with current affairs.

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