Does Denny Hamlin have a phobia of lobsters? Everything you need to know

When Denny Hamlin gets behind the wheel of the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he's as fearless as they come. However, the Virginia native does have a phobia of a specific sea creature.

The 54-time Cup Series winner has publicly expressed his fear of lobsters. The Virginia native's phobia came to light after he wheeled his way to victory at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2017.

Traditionally, the trophy for winning at the one-mile track is a live lobster. There's an image of Denny Hamlin holding the creature by the claws and humorously turning away in fear. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver even tried to run off the victory lane stage to stay away from the lobster.

Denny Hamlin's infamous pose with a lobster after finishing first in the Overton's 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Source: Imagn

Hamlin also elaborated that he doesn't want anything to do with lobsters and would prefer to see them go free. He added:

“I’m not going to do anything with it. I’ve seen it and touched it for the last time. I have a lobster phobia. I just don’t like them. Can’t look at it. So as far as I’m concerned, they need to put it back in the water and let it live.” [via thesportsrush.com]

Denny Hamlin is set for his 20th full-time Cup Series season in 2025. He's spent his entire career with JGR since joining the team ahead of the 2006 campaign. In 2024, Hamlin posted three victories with wins at Bristol, Richmond, and Dover, respectively. The 44-year-old finished eighth in the points standings after being eliminated in the Round of 8. While he's come close before when he finished runner-up in 2010, Hamlin has yet to win a Cup Series championship title.

Denny Hamlin joked he was "finally a champ" after Ohio State football's title win

Denny Hamlin (left) with Tyler Reddick during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway - Source: Imagn

Despite nearly two decades of competing in the NASCAR Cup Series, Denny Hamlin has failed to win his first championship. However, the driver of the #11 humorously stated he was a champion after his favorite college football team, Ohio State, won the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night.

The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 on Monday night inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Hamlin, who was in attendance with a few friends, took to Instagram to share a short video of the group celebrating as confetti poured down after Ohio State's win.

The driver jokingly claimed that now with Ohio State's win, he, too, is a champion.

"Finally a champ," he wrote.

Hamlin has competed in the Championship 4 race four times in 2014, 2019, 2020, and 2021, but failed to emerge victorious in all of them. He nearly became a champion as an owner as his 23XI Racing driver, Tyler Reddick, made it to the Championship 4 race last season. However, Reddick finished fourth among the title contenders.