Kevin Harvick reacts to ‘very different’ emotional Denny Hamlin after 60th Cup win at Las Vegas

Denny Hamlin loves to stir up NASCAR fans after every win. But after Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hamlin struck a different tone.

Hamlin was in tears as he crossed the start/finish line first for the 60th time in his Cup Series career. He nearly broke down entirely when speaking to Marty Snider of NBC Sports on the frontstretch. It was a different Hamlin that fans saw and heard from after the race, Kevin Harvick said.

“You have so much respect for the achievements that you have, and I think there’s a lot of things that lined up for the emotion of what we saw out of Denny Hamlin this week,” Harvick said on Tuesday’s Happy Hour podcast. “I think the passion that he has for the sport, you see it whether it’s the respect his dad gave and the things he gave in that situation, or whether it’s the respect for always trying to make the sport better. Sure, he does it in his own unique way, but I think after the race you saw all of that emotion.

“Thanking the fans, not trying to instigate the fans, I mean there were just a number of things that were different — and cheers — a lot of cheers after the race. I think that balance of podcast controversy, lawsuits, and then you have the other side of the performance on the racetrack, you can’t deny what he does inside the race car. I think that was a pretty awesome moment for Denny to get that 60th win, to put himself in the playoffs, and right now he’s the guy to beat when you get to Phoenix.”

Denny Hamlin was emotional after 60th Cup Series win

From the health struggles of his father Dennis, whom along with his mom made many sacrifices to allow Hamlin to chase his dream of becoming a race car driver, to the emotions of capturing win No. 60, Hamlin had a lot on his mind at Las Vegas. In just a few weeks at Phoenix Raceway, Hamlin will race for his first championship. He couldn’t have gotten to this point without his parents.

“I just want to thank him for sacrificing really his and my mom’s life to chase around my dreams,” Hamlin said. “My parents had no money. My parents had very normal jobs, but they found a way. That way is a path I would never recommend anybody taking. Every credit card that comes to the mail, ‘Okay, we’ll use it.’ Asking people to help. Second and third mortgaging the house. All these things.

“The arguments I had to listen to. I’m in my room, and my mom and dad are going at it. One is saying, ‘I can’t do it anymore.’ The other one saying, ‘Please, just one more week.’ It’s great it’s all paid off. Certainly, they got the life now that they deserved before I decided to do this.”