NASCAR Driver Ignites Texas Motor Speedway Crowd With 'Horns Down' Gesture

One NASCAR driver was not afraid to let his true feelings of the Burnt Orange shown during driver introductions at Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway.

May 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) is introduced before the start of the Wurth 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As if some of his talks on his Actions Detrimental podcast haven't provided enough controversy between NASCAR fans and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, the driver's introduction right before the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway Sunday surely didn't help him win over the Texas crowd.

When Hamlin, a noted Ohio State Buckeyes fan known for letting his opinion being heard, had his name called during introductions, he responded to the boos of the fans with a simple "Horns Down" gesture, which sent the Lone Star crowd into an even louder chorus of negative energy.

However, the three-time Daytona 500 Champion would find out the hard way that you don't mess with Texas.

Mar 30, 2025; Martinsville, Virginia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) does a burn out around the track at the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

After qualifying eighth for the race and just 75 laps into the 267-lap race, Hamlin's No. 11 Progressive-sponsored Toyota Camry had its engine blow up and catch fire, ending his day early and resulting in a 38th-place finish, giving the Fort Worth crowd something to cheer for after all.

Take a look:

Pre-race: Denny Hamlin throws the horns down during driver intros at Texas Motor Speedway 🤘

Lap 75: The No. 11 car bursts into flames, ending his day 🔥https://t.co/txqanOCA4Ypic.twitter.com/KRnxW2DAv0

— 5 GOATs (@5GOATs_) May 4, 2025

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, Team Penske's Joey Logano, won the race after taking the lead in overtime following a late-race caution.

The last-place finish at "The Great American Speedway" did not have much on an effect on Hamlin's season progress however, as he is still third in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings behind Hendrick Motorsports drivers William Byron and Kyle Larson.

Hamlin has two wins in the 2025 season, winning in back-to-back weeks at Martinsville Speedway and Darlington Raceway last month.

Hamlin, who also co-owns the NASCAR Cup Series team 23XI Racing alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan, has 56 career victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, including three Daytona 500 wins (2016, 2019, 2020) and the 2022 Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the NASCAR schedule. His 56 wins are the 11th-most in NASCAR history.

A NASCAR Cup Series championship still eludes the 44-year-old Chesterfield, VA native, who has qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs in every full season that he has competed in since his debut in 2006. The closest he came was a second-place finish in the standings to Jimmie Johnson in 2010, one of Johnson's record seven championships.

As Hamlin looks to finally hoist the championship trophy at the season's end in November, maybe he'll remember not to give karma a chance to have the last laugh when he's out on the track.