"He doesn't have the race-winning speed" - Denny Hamlin on Ross Chastain's "smarter" approach to 2023 NASCAR playoffs

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season saw Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain as two drivers who could not keep the peace between themselves. The highest echelon of the sport treated fans to a rivalry that did not seem to cool down despite repeated attempts from both drivers last year. One of the main reasons for this rivalry to bloom last year was Chastain's unique driving style.

A lot has been said about the Trackhouse Racing driver's no-holds-barred style of racing, as witnessed in the past year. Ross Chastain has given fans iconic moments such as the 'Hail-Melon' at Martinsville Speedway but has also garnered their wrath for some equally rookie moves. He has, though, stayed relatively out of the limelight in 2023.

Denny Hamlin spoke about how he saw the difference in the #1 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver's style this year, especially in the playoffs. The #11 Toyota Camry TRD driver elaborated on an episode of his popular podcast Actions Detrimental and said:

"He is racing way, way smarter. He's understanding that he doesn't have the race winning speed so the way he's managing the races is what's keeping him alive most weeks."

As a fan, Denny Hamlin's podcast co-host Jared Allen replied with his choice of behavior from Ross Chastain and said:

"I like the old Ross (Chastain) better though."

Denny Hamlin replied to the statement in typical fashion, saying:

"Yeah, you did, I didn't."

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Kyle Busch on Denny Hamlin taking over the NASCAR antagonist role at JGR

Previously teammates with Denny Hamlin at Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch spoke about how the #11 Toyota Camry TRD driver has embraced Busch's previous role. Regarded as one of the most polarizing and booed drivers in the sport, Hamlin has been getting the same treatment from the fans this year.

Busch elaborated on his thoughts on the topic to NBC Sports and said:

“When you’re in that spot like I was, and I guess Denny is, you’ve got to do what Denny is doing, I mean it’s perfect. You’ve got to play with it and just go with it and roll with it. I did."

The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 will go live from the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth today at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage of the first Round of 12 race will be broadcast on the USA Network, as well as the Peacock streaming service.