Some drivers, fans love, and other drivers, fans love to HATE, but, why? Our very own John Rizzo breaks down the stories behind NASCAR’s greatest villains.

• Darrell Waltrip – Nicknamed “Jaws”, Darrell Waltrip loved to run his mouth, and he had plenty of run-ins with drivers. However, his dislike even went to NASCAR’s sanctioning body, but, his perception of D.W. changed when he became a broadcaster.
• Kyle Busch – Kyle Busch was already somewhat disliked by proxy due to his brother, Kurt, but, Kyle made a “hated” name for himself in 2008. He had a run-in with the sport’s most popular driver, and the rest is history. However, are the times changing?
• Kurt Busch – Kurt Busch received the label of “hothead” after his rivalry with Jimmie Spencer. A flurry of outbursts made him even less beloved, but, he rebounded. He spent his final few years as a sort of lovable underdog whose career ended too soon.
• Denny Hamlin – Denny Hamlin’s hatred is a more recent phenomenon, and it all started when he ran into the most popular driver, Chase Elliott, in 2017. Hamlin continued to have run-ins with fan favorites, and fans continued to turn against him.
• Matt DiBenedetto – Matt D took the rare trek from hero to villain. He was a loveable underdog, but, he continually made strange PR decisions, burned a lot of bridges, and he underwhelmed on track.
• Joey Logano – Joey Logano was a well-liked driver as he found his footing at Team Penske. Then, 2015 happened, and his feud with the well-liked Matt Kenseth. Even beyond that feud, he still will run over virtually any driver to get a win. Not every fan loves that.

Who is the most hated NASCAR driver of all time? Plenty of drivers got on the wrong side of the fanbase throughout history.