NASCAR personality Dylan “Mamba” Smith and veteran driver Denny Hamlin shared a hilarious and light-hearted moment on social media following a prank during the driver introductions at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.
Ahead of the regular season finale, Smith faked a handshake with Hamlin, running his hand through his own hair instead of shaking Hamlin’s hand. The two shared a laugh with each other as the driver continued across the stage.
The exchange was seen by 50,000 people when Smith shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), but the driver wasn’t going to let him have the last laugh.
Following the sharing of the video on the social media website, a light-hearted argument flared between the two.
“[You’re] so cool bro,” Hamlin replied sarcastically. “Don’t let the ratios get to you.”
Smith fired back with confidence: “See you on the stage next week Champ.”
Hamlin then escalated: “[It’s] 3x Southern 500 champ to you. Make sure you get it right when you say my name.”
Smith delivered what appeared to be the final word with a cutting response: “You’ll get what you get, smile, and do your princess wave regardless.”
For context, Smith was recently at the center of some controversy while trying to defend the current playoff format, posting on X that “the point isn’t to crown the best driver … It’s to crown the best team who executed the best when the pressure was at its highest and the lights were the brightest.”
That comment drew the fury of NASCAR nation, and Hamlin himself, who has been among those openly calling for a format change.
The exchange came after the superspeedway race, which saw a number of drivers taken out in Stage 1. Hamlin finished 25th after being collected in an early pileup on Lap 27, a disappointing result for a man who has three victories in the Daytona 500.
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