Denny Hamlin makes eye-opening NASCAR claim amid Bubba Wallace celebrations

Denny Hamlin has opened up on the difference between winning a NASCAR race as an owner and winning one as a driver.

Bubba Wallace took the ninth win in 23XI Racing's Cup Series history on Sunday at Indianapolis, some way short of Hamlin's career total of 58, and the team's first of the year.

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For all of his success at many different types of track though, Hamlin has never won at Indianapolis as a driver, and wasted no time in joining his team in kissing the iconic bricks.

The 44-year-old claimed it's 'much harder' to win in NASCAR as an owner than behind the wheel, comparing the experience of his team winning to being a proud parent watching a child succeed.

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Hamlin: I had my hand in every part of the No. 23 team

"I’ll take every opportunity I can [to kiss the bricks at Indianapolis]. When those guys go out there and they get trophies, I make sure I get my own, treat it as my own because I can assure you it’s much harder to win as a team owner than it is a driver.

"Joe Gibbs and that whole team, they do all the work. All I have to do out here each weekend is drive it to the best of my ability. I’ve got to send them in the right direction to make the car go faster.

"Building a team from scratch is a huge undertaking. You feel more gratification because I had my hand in every little piece of that race team, from the branding to the sponsorship to the competition to the everything.

"That’s why parents always feel much prouder when their kids accomplish something more than they do."

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