Denny Hamlin shares four-word reaction after landing multi-year agreement with popular sponsor

NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin has expressed excitement about a new sponsorship deal with King’s Hawaiian, a family-owned bakery brand, via a tweet on X. Announced by Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) on Wednesday, the partnership will see King’s Hawaiian sponsor Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota Camry for select races starting in summer 2025.

This agreement makes King’s Hawaiian the first confirmed sponsor for Denny Hamlin’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Reacting to the announcement on social media, Hamlin shared a playful four-word tweet that read:

“Let’s butter some rolls.”

Beginning in June 2025, King’s Hawaiian will be the primary sponsor for four races:

1. Atlanta Motor Speedway (June 28)
2. Daytona International Speedway (August 23)
3. Bristol Motor Speedway (September 13)
4. Martinsville Speedway (October 26)

Along with this, King’s Hawaiian will be an associate sponsor throughout the 2025 season. Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, expressed his thoughts on the partnership, saying:

“We are thrilled to have King’s Hawaiian join our family at Joe Gibbs Racing. Their dinner rolls and other products have become a staple for so many families over the past 75 years, and we look forward to celebrating their anniversary both on and off the track.” [via racingamerica.com]

King’s Hawaiian, widely recognized for its Original Hawaiian Sweet Bread, was founded in 1950 in Hilo, Hawaii. This partnership comes as Hamlin transitions into the 2025 season following the departure of his long-time sponsor, FedEx.

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When Denny Hamlin criticized SiriusXM NASCAR radio

Denny Hamlin at the NASCAR Awards Banquet at Charlotte Convention Center - Source: Imagn

On October 3, 2024, Denny Hamlin, who is also the co-owner of 23XI Racing, took to social media to criticize SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. He contended that the network showed bias during an interview with Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney representing 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.

In October 2024, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and its chairman, Jim France. The lawsuit accuses NASCAR of monopolistic practices that violate antitrust laws. According to the claims, NASCAR’s charter agreements are designed to stifle competition, primarily benefiting a select few teams. The suit describes NASCAR as a “monopolistic bully” that prioritizes its interests over the broader racing community.

The lawsuit argues that NASCAR holds a monopoly as the sole stock car racing entity in the U.S., uses charter agreements to suppress competition, and exploits monopoly power over racing teams. During the same interview, tensions rose when Kessler made a controversial analogy, comparing the situation to “battered spouse syndrome.” At this point, the discussion escalated.

After the interview, Denny Hamlin accused the network of censorship, claiming parts of the discussion were edited or removed to align with the network’s narrative. On social media, he said:

“While censorship is a big topic in today’s media world, Channel 90 might be the poster child. An interview didn’t go the way they hoped after our attorney continued to state fact after fact even tho they tried their best to refute. They have since edited/deleted that interview off of their channels because the narrative doesn’t fit their beliefs. If that doesn’t convince you of the bias then nothing will.”

Commenting on the lawsuit, Denny Hamlin added to the situation saying:

“It’s actually pretty simple in my opinion. When I look around, I see that the best and most competitive sports in the world understand that when teams thrive, fans benefit, and that everyone who invests in making the sport a success should share fairly in that success. With the right changes, we can certainly make that a reality in racing.” (via newsweek.com)

As of January 10, 2025, a federal judge denied NASCAR’s request to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The judge also issued an injunction requiring NASCAR to allow the two teams to compete as charter organizations in 2025.