CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of NASCAR’s top track owners deleted social media posts made Friday morning in a back-and-forth spat with top driver Denny Hamlin that began when Hamlin criticized the repaving of Sonoma Raceway in California.
Marcus Smith, chairman of the Speedway Motorsports conglomerate that owns 10 of the tracks on NASCAR’s Cup Series schedule, took exception to Hamlin’s post that pointed out a Thursday sports car test was canceled because of problems with the new surface on the California road course.
“When paving on a budget goes wrong,” Hamlin posted on X, formerly Twitter, right before midnight Thursday.
He then suggested that North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina, which was revitalized by Speedway Motorsports and now hosts NASCAR’s All-Star race, will face similar problems during next month’s event.
Smith fired back quickly with his own response to begin an exchange that dragged into the early Friday hours.
“This is a great post from somebody who doesn’t know all the information. Ignorance on display for the world to see,” Smith wrote in a now-deleted post.
That only escalated the back-and-forth between Smith and Hamlin, winner of 53 Cup career races for Joe Gibbs Racing and co-owner of 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan. Hamlin won last week’s race at his home track in Richmond, Virginia, and will try to make it two straight Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
“We’ve seen your reconfig record,” wrote Hamlin in a perceived knock at the reconfiguration of Texas Motor Speedway.
Smith then elevated the feud by taking a shot at Hamlin’s inability to win a Cup championship — the only thing missing on Hamlin’s resume.
“Yes we take risks, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t,” Smith wrote. “We’ve seen your attempt of the championship as well. When you have a chance, maybe you could give me some golf tips.”
“Here’s your tip. Let someone else run your business before you blow everything your dad gave you,” Hamlin responded.
Speedway Motorsports was founded and built by the late Bruton Smith, and Marcus Smith is his son.
Smith told Hamlin that if his father had a “Twitter/X account, I don’t think his comment would be family friendly.”
“So listen here, almost NASCAR Champion,” Smith continued, “you keep working at it and one day you’re going to get a big trophy! Thanks for the tip!”
Hamlin has won the Daytona 500 three times, but Smith suggested “negative comments would carry a lot more weight if you had a championship to back them up.”
Hamlin, under fire…
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