Denny Hamlin’s win at Michigan may have delivered results on the track, but what happened after the race continues to stir debate. During an episode of Dirty Mo Media’s “Door Bumper Clear,” Hamlin’s own spotter Freddie Kraft and the rest of the crew voiced disapproval with the veteran driver’s post-race catchphrase Hamlin used to mark the moment.
Insiders Call Out Denny Hamlin’s Latest NASCAR Post-Race Antics
Kraft didn’t hold back when reacting to Hamlin’s behavior after the win. His criticism centered on Hamlin’s now-regular use of the line, “Beat your favorite driver,” which was rolled out again after his Michigan victory.
“I know there’s a lot of stuff in his head that he can come up with,” Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said.
“I mean, listen, I always say the guy’s great, but this is awful. Like we’ve got to do something better than this.” Kraft added.
According to Kraft, the frustration isn’t with the idea of Hamlin playing the villain, a role he acknowledges the driver embraces. The issue is with the execution, which he feels lacks originality and isn’t landing with fans.
“We’ve got to stop with this damn, ‘I beat your favorite driver,’” Kraft said.
Denny’s catchphrase ain’t cutting it for us 🙅♂️@StenhouseJr | @FreddieKraft | @KarsynElledge3 | @TBR7NY pic.twitter.com/VH1t6XUEVI
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) June 10, 2025
The timing of the celebration also drew criticism. Kraft pointed out that Hamlin’s win wasn’t over a major fan favorite like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, or Ryan Blaney.
“If he would have outrun like Chase or Larson or Blaney or somebody, I’d be OK with it,” he said. “But he just beat the folk hero, Chris Buescher. I mean, it’s not the ultra-popular driver. Just saying.”
The episode’s tone suggests that the panel believes Hamlin has the charisma and awareness to do more with his image than repeat one-liners that aren’t resonating. Kraft even acknowledged that NASCAR needed a “heel,” something Hamlin is capable of; he just wants a bit more creativity.
That role requires sharpness and a sense of timing, both of which the spotter felt were missing from Hamlin’s post-race moment. The catchphrase didn’t match the stakes, the opponent, or the atmosphere.
Another crew member joked about going easy on Hamlin, noting, “Don’t be so hard on your boss, Freddie.” But Kraft circled back to his point with a closing thought: “We just got to do a better job. I know he’s more original than that.”