Former Virginia resident Denny Hamlin has certainly brought some drama to the 2021 NASCAR Championship Weekend, for those seeking an exciting spectacle.
This year’s Cup Series champion will be crowned on Sunday at 3 p.m on NBC.
The Season Finale 500, also known as the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, is held at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona. Spanning 312 laps on the one-mile track, this 500-kilometer race will ultimately crown the top driver of the year.
This year’s Cup Series champion will be determined among the finalists: Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr. The racer who finishes at the top among this group of four will claim the title.
However, Hamlin’s performance has shifted the attention towards another driver named “Hack.”
Hack and Hamlin at NASCAR Championship Weekend
The race held at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia over the weekend turned out to be an intense event. As expected on short tracks, emotions ran high, and tensions escalated significantly by the end of the race.
At the Martinsville race, held on October 31st, Alex Bowman from Hendrick Motorsports caused leader Hamlin to spin out with only six laps left. Despite being eliminated from the playoffs earlier, Bowman triumphed in Sunday’s race, marking his fourth victory of the year and his first-ever win at Martinsville.
However, Hamlin, a seasoned veteran who managed to qualify for the final four of this season despite last weekend’s spin, was displeased with Bowman’s aggressive driving.
Hence, the emergence of the “Hack” meme.
Having attended the Xfinity Series race the previous day, I comprehend how the tight space at Martinsville could lead to heightened emotions. Despite boasting an impressive record of 46 Cup wins spanning 17 years, like Hamlin, each trophy retains significant value.
However, despite having spent a significant portion of his childhood in Chesterfield, Virginia, is Hamlin truly being booed here? Is he deliberately adopting a villainous persona in front of his own hometown audience?
Oh no. The 2021 championship hopeful is not presenting themselves in a favorable manner.
Season Finale 500 betting odds and picks
DraftKings, a leading sports betting app in Virginia, offers odds for two exciting NASCAR events: the Season Finale 500 and the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
