Jeff Gordon said he doesn’t want his NASCAR drivers taking the controversial approach that Denny Hamlin does; Hamlin says the ‘White Collar’ management stunts growth
Controversy creates water cooler talk. It’s the stuff that makes fans love you or hate you. Either way, they have an opinion of you thus building your brand.
Denny Hamlin has become a voice in the NASCAR community in recent years. Weekly, he shares his views on various topics within the NASCAR community. And the brutally honest angles have regularly stirred the pot, creating headlines and conversation.
Jeff Gordon is a 4-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Today, the 52-year-old is the Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports and in line to take over the team in the future. Hamlin is the driver of the No. 11 for Joe Gibbs Racing and he’s also a co-owner of 23XI Racing.
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Gordon understands the approach by Denny Hamlin. Yet, Gordon doesn’t want his drivers at Hendrick Motorsports to build their brand in that way.
After the comments from Gordon, Hamlin has responded. He knocks Gordon for his ‘white collar’ technique to building a brand and says that kind of thinking holds the sport back.
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Jeff Gordon doesn’t want his drivers taking Denny Hamlin’s controversial approach
Denny is trying to do things to stir up conversation,” Jeff Gordon stated via Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. “To get people, at least having an opinion.”
“Whether it’s a positive or a negative one, you have an opinion. The fact he’s embracing that, I will give him kudos all day long. Go for it.”
“I wouldn’t want that to be one of our drivers. It’s too controversial. To me, it’s a distraction.”
“I want our drivers to go and build a fanbase by winning races and by being themselves. And, I think Denny’s being himself to a certain degree. But, I think it’s kinda an alter-ego as well.”
“I want other guys in the sport to do stuff like that. But, if they come to Hendrick Motorsports … You can call us stiff, you can call us whatever you want. But, we’re running a business and the business is to win races, first. Take care of the sponsors and let the sponsors market you.”
“Build your brand, who you are through social media. But, if you really want to go to the racetrack focused on winning races, it’s hard to do that when you have a lot of distractions.”
“If Denny thrives on that, great. But, I just don’t think it’s healthy within the organization when you have four drivers and you’re going into meetings together and you’re talking about how to win while you’re having to deal with some of those things.
Gordon concluded, “That’s just my opinion.”
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Denny Hamlin reacts to comments from Jeff Gordon
“Has he been watching a race in the last twelve weeks? I don’t get it,” Denny Hamlin responded via ‘Actions Detrimental‘ after the comments from Jeff Gordon.
“I go in Monday and I’m a professional, because that’s what professionals do. They go into a meeting and they act professional. I think he’s been to one too many Burning Mans.”
“He’s going against the logic that he said twelve months ago. He’s basically saying that, ‘I want them to be tidy, not controversial.’ I couldn’t disagree more.”
“I’m glad I drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. I’m glad I run my team the way I run my team, because I will never run my team saying things like that.”
“That’s his opinion. He’s allowed to have that opinion. But certainly think that that’s the absolute wrong way to go if you want star power in this sport.”
“It drives me crazy nobody else has got the balls to be honest.”
“And, it’s not the drivers’ fault. Because they clearly got white collar standing over the back of them, making sure that they don’t do it.”
“Like, that is not good. That is stunting growth. That is stunting star power.”
“I believe we have stars in our sport. But, they will never get seen because you’ve got that mentality looking over their shoulders.”
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