Denny Hamlin remembers Virginia roots

CONCORD, N.C. - The top levels of NASCAR were once dominated by southern-bred ruffians who honed their skills on fearsome short tracks.

In recent years, Sprint Cup car owners have opted for star power and marketing potential over savvy and instincts.

Then there is the curious case of Denny Hamlin.

The sixth-year driver for the powerful Joe Gibbs Racing team grew up racing around his hometown of Chesterfield, Va.

Tracks like Langley Speedway and Southampton Motor Speedway in Virginia are far from the media glare, but Hamlin learned the basics.

Hamlin reflected on his formative years during Monday’s opening day of the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“I think my fans are the ones that respect where I came from,“ Hamlin said. “I’m just not some spoiled kid that got things handed to me because of my last name or because I brought a big sponsor. I earned my way here the hard way.“

Hamlin has recorded two top-five finishes in Sprint Cup points, including a fifth-place effort with four wins last season.

While he now occupies a prominent spot on the NASCAR marquee, Hamlin has not forgotten his blue-collar buddies who long to escape the short track bubble.

“It’s tough to get into the sport, especially right now,“ Hamlin said. “Luckily, I got in through a lot of development drivers that were coming into the series.“

A fifth-place finish in the 2005 NASCAR Nationwide Series offered testament to Hamlin’s versatility.

“I got in at a good time, but I did it strictly on performance,“ Hamlin said. “Hopefully car owners still look at performance and at drivers that win at their local short track.

“That’s what got me here…winning at the local level. J.D. Gibbs gave me a chance.“

Hamlin admits that the climb to the glitzy Sprint Cup world was full of challenges. Each exam required equal doses of courage and tenacity.

“I had to take advantage of every opportunity I had, whether that was in the truck series or Nationwide car,“ Hamlin said. “Every time that I needed to perform well, I did.“

And each strong performance has added to the confidence level for Hamlin, who has emerged as a voice for change in the garage. For example, Hamlin has offered criticism of the inflexible nature of NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow.

“I think NASCAR has definitely taken my opinions to heart,“ Hamlin said. “They’ve given us a race car that we can’t do much with at the race track, but it should be a driver’s race.“

Hamlin has also played the role of mentor to young Gibbs Racing teammate, Joey Logano.

“It’s tough man,“ said Logano, referring to the task of adapting to new tracks. “You ask as many questions as you can, whether it’s teammates or other drivers.“

The patient tutelage of former Morristown, Tenn., resident Mike Ford in the pits has been vital to the maturation of Hamlin.

Kyle Busch, the team leader at Gibbs, envies the connection Hamlin has with his crew chief.

“It’s all about having the right people at the right place,“ Busch said. “Hopefully, I can develop a relationship with [new crew chief] Dave Rogers like Denny and Mike Ford have.“

It’s been a long climb to stardom for Hamlin, yet he feels the road is still available for the little guys with big dreams.

“If you’ve got enough talent, you can make it here. I definitely think so,“ Hamlin said.