Ohio State and Michigan have one of the most intense rivalries in college football, known simply as “The Game.” Currently, Michigan leads the all-time series with 62 wins, 51 losses, and six ties. In fact, Buckeyes HC Ryan Day hasn’t beaten the rival since his first season in 2019.
But NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin once again proved why he embraces the villain role. Known to stir the pot, he did just that after securing his third NASCAR Cup Series win of the season at Michigan International Speedway. Following his victory, no one knows exactly what came to his mind, but he wasted no time in trolling the Michigan crowd.
Denny Hamlin Roasts Michigan Crowd With Epic Ohio State Celebration After Burnout
Ohio State and Michigan’s rivalry always keeps college football fans on the edge of their seats. Although Michigan leads the all-time series with more wins on paper, the two communities passionately compete to prove which team is the best.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that Coach Ryan Day’s Buckeyes are now champions, which has brought another level of confidence to Ohio State supporters in recent times.
This weekend, we saw a similar gesture from Hamlin. On Sunday, he won his third NASCAR Cup Series race of the season and continued to embrace the villain role following his latest triumph.
Never change, @dennyhamlin. 😂 pic.twitter.com/BJFwUrBtd6
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 8, 2025
In the video posted on X by NASCAR, Hamlin is seen doing the famous “O-H” celebration in front of the crowd.
Hamlin has long been known as a heel who enjoys provoking fans. You might think that after his victory, he would celebrate wildly with the crowd, but he didn’t take that route. Instead, following his win at the FireKeepers Casino 400, he chose to play the villain again—this time as an Ohio State fan in a stadium full of Michigan supporters.
“I do thrive on it,” Hamlin said after the victory. “Just simply because you feel like you’ve got 60,000 people that are rooting against you. When you have that, it just feels really, really good and gratifying to prove them wrong.”
RELATED: How the Ohio State–Michigan Rivalry Shaped Modern College Football
But Hamlin didn’t stop there. Speaking directly to the crowd, he added, “I wanted to get the lead. Obviously, he was doing a great job defending, but Daddy, I’m sorry. I beat your favorite driver, folks.”
This time, he took it personally, and Michigan fans didn’t hold back—many booed him loudly. Still, it was pure entertainment, proving once again that Hamlin thrives in the spotlight, no matter who’s rooting against him.
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