NASCAR fans were offered an insightful moment from Charlotte Motor Speedway after reporters questioned Denny Hamlin about his post-race discussion with Bubba Wallace following last week’s Kansas race.
The 23XI Racing co-owner revealed that the exchange helped him rethink his approach to the situation and his communication with those around him.
Denny Hamlin Reflects on His Post-Race Exchange With Bubba Wallace
Hamlin has revealed that an honest post-race discussion with his 23XI driver offered him a major shift in perspective, one that he says has reshaped how he communicates within the team he co-owns with Michael Jordan.
The veteran driver and co-owner admitted that while he initially approached the conversation ready to make his case, Wallace’s response made him pause and rethink his approach entirely.
Speaking to reporters after the Cup race qualifiers at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hamlin said, “Yeah, we are good. And certainly feel as though it was good to hear others’ perspectives. Because certainly, we kind of go all week and you think you know where the other stands, and then, I kind of prepared in my mind, ‘Okay, it’s my turn to talk, here’s what happened.'”
I asked @dennyhamlin @CLTMotorSpdwy in scrum about where he and @BubbaWallace are at post- conversation after last weeks race. Listen, especially to the follow up question which had to be asked. pic.twitter.com/GyUvXCR2sc
— Claire B Lang (@ClaireBLang) October 4, 2025
According to Hamlin, the exchange took a turn when Wallace made it clear he wasn’t focused on their on-track interactions.
Halin continued, “And he’s like, ‘No, no, okay, I don’t care, the on-track’s fine.’ I was like, ‘Oh, so I need to rethink my strategy now.’ I just had to pivot right into, ok let me let me think back to what you said and hear him out, make sure he’s heard. Make sure he knows that I did hear him and understand, and I made it very clear that I can always be better.”
Though simple on the surface, the encounter had deeper implications for Hamlin. As both a Cup driver with Joe Gibbs Racing and a team owner at 23XI Racing, he recognized the importance of slowing down to listen rather than assuming he understood every situation.
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When asked what specifically changed after the discussion, Hamlin pointed to a broader lesson about empathy and awareness. “From my perspective, it’s just making sure everyone is fine even if they may seem like they are,” he said. “Just checking with everyone to make sure that they’re listened to.”
Wallace and Hamlin have long shared a dynamic relationship as drivers and owner-employee, often balancing moments of tension with mutual respect. This latest episode, however, showcased a more human side to their collaboration, one that values open dialogue over hierarchy.