On the heels of his third straight NASCAR Cup Series victory, Denny Hamlin is defending his manufacturer’s success. Toyota has won all but three of the 16 Cup Series points-paying races this season, leading to fan speculation on if the manufacturer has an unfair advantage.
Hamlin, a four-time winner in 2026, defended Toyota amid the backlash, saying that the speed they have right now is all due to hard work. The comments came during the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast.
Denny Hamlin on Toyota’s ‘fair’ advantage in 2026
Over the last month, Hamlin has been on a heater.
It started with a victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover back on May 17. After a third-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, the 45-year-old proceeded to win three straight races (Nashville, Michigan, Pocono).
Amid his recent hot streak, Hamlin is tired of hearing from a vocal minority of race fans that he has an unfair advantage.
While it is evident Toyota is the dominant manufacturer in 2026, the 64-time Cup Series winner made it clear that they are on the straight and narrow.
“We’re running the same (expletive) car for the last few years. The other manufacturers have changed their cars. We haven’t changed anything. The Toyotas in general really got it clicking right now, but it ain’t unfair. This is a product of a lot of hard work,” Hamlin said.
The driver of the No. 11 knows that every manufacturer wants to perform at the highest level.
Each of NASCAR’s Cup manufacturers (Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota) do everything they can to put the fastest cars out on the racetrack. While a Toyota driver has won nearly every race this season, Hamlin said it is not due to an unfair advantage.
In fact, it is a fair one.
“Every manufacturer wants to go out there and figure out the best way to optimize their cars and engines and all the stuff. Toyota right now has got it figured out better than the rest of them and it ain’t because of an unfair advantage. It’s a fair advantage that was earned through hard work,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin and Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing driver, have dominated the 2026 season. Reddick won five of the season’s first nine races, while Hamlin has picked up four victories. With 10 races left in the regular season, Reddick is the points leader over Hamlin by 19 points.
Denny Hamlin on reaching 70-plus wins: ‘Nobody will care’
With his 64th career Cup Series win last Sunday at Pocono, Hamlin moved into sole possession of ninth on NASCAR’s all-time wins list. He tied the late Kyle Busch for ninth place after his victory at Michigan.
Based on his performance right now, Hamlin could end up reaching 70-plus wins. Dale Earnhardt, with 76 career victories, ranks eighth on the all-time wins list.
Yet, whether he reaches the late seven-time Cup champion or not, Hamlin said no one will care how many wins he finishes with.
“Nobody cares. One year after retirement, nobody will care. Sixty or 75 (wins), nobody cares,” Hamlin said.
Despite all the accolades, Hamlin is still seeking his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Denny Hamlin Calls Toyota Dominance ‘Fair Advantage’ Amid Backlash