Denny Hamlin views contribution to NASCAR Netflix series as ‘giving back to the sport’

Denny Hamlin was one of the faces of “NASCAR: Full Speed,” the five-episode docuseries released on Netflix in January.

Hamlin put his entire life out there for viewers to see, a true look into what it’s like to be a top NASCAR driver in 2024. Hamlin, speaking with FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick on his “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour” podcast this week, called his role in the docuseries as his “obligation to give back to the sport.”

“I understood how big of a deal this was for our sport. I consider it an obligation to give back to the sport,” Hamlin said. “Now, I’m doing it in several different ways. Whether it be through content with the podcast or owning a race team. I’ve invested back into the sport heavily. And so, I want to see it succeed. And so, my rule of thumb for Netflix when they decide to follow me, is that the answer is always yes until I say no. So, they followed as long as they wanted to. Although it was largely in my world, there was tons of things that never even made it on camera that they followed us through.

“They portrayed me accurately. I thought that the others that I saw were portrayed how I would see them as well. So, I thought they did a really good job of entertaining our current race fans along with educating people about how NASCAR works. I just wanted to be a big part of it to give an insider’s perspective of someone that drives, that owns a team, about what this sport is about. And hopefully it ended up a net positive for our sport and myself.”

Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin hope Chase Elliott opens up to fans more: ‘Drivers have to be accessible’

Whereas Hamlin’s life as family man, driver and race team owner were on full display, six-time Cup Series Most Popular Driver Chase Elliott didn’t take part in the docuseries. Elliott has already expressed reservations in participating in a potential second season, telling Dale Earnhardt Jr. he just “want(s) to do my job at a high level.”

Both Hamlin and Harvick agreed that it would be a benefit to NASCAR if Elliott participated in the docuseries.

“I would pick Chase Elliott,” Harvick answered as the driver he wants to see put themselves out in the public more.

“I would [too],” Hamlin agreed. “Chase Elliott is a very important person in our sport. I think he knows it, but I don’t think he understands how big his influence is on our sport. When I hear him speak on Dale Jr.’s podcast about, ‘Listen I just want to be the best race car driver I can be,’ that is understandable. And that is someone who is focused on their career and doing the best they can for their team.”