Kenny Wallace gets 'pissed' as he blasts NASCAR for 'attacking' Denny Hamlin over his $14M salary

Denny Hamlin’s $14 million salary became a flashpoint on Day 2 of the antitrust trial between 23XI Racing-Front Row Motorsports and NASCAR. The number appeared early in his testimony, which was a tense exchange with NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman. Kenny Wallace didn’t like where the questioning went.

The salary discussion unfolded during Hamlin’s long and emotional second-day appearance. He walked the jury through his driver income, his 40 percent stake in 23XI Racing, and the financial risks associated with the team. He also addressed the backdrop of the suit that NASCAR’s business model leaves teams with little leverage and few options.

Hamlin was pressed on how much he earned as the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 driver. That was the exact moment Kenny Wallace pointed to in his December 3 episode of Coffee with Kenny. He said:

“This one pissed me off a little bit. NASCAR attacked Denny Hamlin for making $14 million a year. Now, that’s not very American like because America’s land of the free. That’s why everybody lines up to come to America… cuz it’s capitalism. You can do what you want to do.”

Wallace continued:

“So, if a man makes money, you don’t condemn him. So NASCAR is like, ‘You make a lot of money. You make 14 million a year.’ Denny Hamlin’s answer was historical, one for the ages… ‘Most drivers don’t win as much as I win.’ And it’s true. Denny Hamlin won the most races this year. He won six.” (6:45 onwards)

Denny Hamlin did win six Cup Series races and came close to the 2025 championship until the final-lap overtime loss. His income disclosure also pulled comparisons from other series. Documents in the proceeding referenced 2024 driver wages across top motorsports.

Those figures included:

• Max Verstappen – $65 million
• Lewis Hamilton – $60 million
• Charles Leclerc – $34 million
• Fernando Alonso / Lando Norris – $20 million
• George Russell – $15 million
• Denny Hamlin – $14 million
• Carlos Sainz / Pierre Gasly – $10 million

Kenny Wallace argued that Hamlin’s salary shouldn’t be used as a strike against him. He pointed to other sports where top athletes earn far more, and added:

“If we want NASCAR to be successful, we should be celebrating Denny Hamlin making a measly 14 million a year… cheating death, going into these corners at a high rate of speed, and you’re seeing these drivers flip end over in... Don’t dumb our sport down. Don’t say we’re not worth 14 million a year.” (8:37 onwards)

The trial returned to Hamlin’s broader financial disclosures. He was questioned about 23XI’s charter projections, the team’s early profits, and why he supported the sport publicly in past interviews. The $205 million damages claim was also raised in court.

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Kenny Wallace reacts as his own show enters NASCAR courtroom during Denny Hamlin's cross-examination

Denny Hamlin (L) and wife Jordan Fish depart the North Carolina Federal courtroom. Source: Getty

Part of the discussion even came back to Kenny Wallace. During cross-examination, NASCAR attorneys highlighted Denny Hamlin’s appearance on Wallace’s podcast in mid-2024. The JGR driver had called the Next Gen car a “net-positive” at the time. On the stand, he said speaking too honestly in public carried consequences.

Hamlin testified:

“Because if I say anything bad, I get a lashing from NASCAR. So publicly, it’s all sunshine and rainbows.”

Wallace addressed that revelation as well:

“Who would have ever thought? That was the first thing in the NASCAR lawsuit - you’re looking at him - Kenny Wallace... My show was the number one thing yesterday in the courtroom. Holy sh*t. Denny was impressive during the interview. They attacked him for making money.” (3:26 onwards)

The trial has shifted back to NASCAR’s executives. Day 3 opened with the continuation of Scott Prime’s testimony. Under questioning from attorney Jeffrey Kessler, Prime faced a detailed discussion about the charter agreement, the non-compete section, and internal messages showing disagreements over Jim France’s early proposals. He also addressed the Next Gen car’s intellectual property restrictions and why teams were left with far fewer wins in the final 2025-31 deal than they had sought.

Prime’s session wrapped before lunch. FRM owner Bob Jenkins took the stand next, with cross-examination expected to continue as Day 3 heads toward its close and the two-week trial moves forward.