10 NASCAR Drivers Who Publicly Trashed Their Own Teams

NASCAR Drivers Who Publicly Trashed Their Own Teams

Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace

10. Aric Almirola

Usually calm, Almirola shocked fans when he openly criticized strategy calls and execution at Stewart-Haas Racing, hinting that internal chaos was holding him back.

9. Ryan Newman

Blunt to a fault, Newman regularly called out poor setups and leadership issues, especially late in his career when results dried up.

8. Kevin Harvick

Harvick didn’t sugarcoat anything. His late-era Stewart-Haas comments about car quality and direction exposed cracks fans didn’t see on TV.

7. Denny Hamlin

Hamlin has repeatedly aired frustrations with execution and preparation at Joe Gibbs Racing, sometimes mid-race on the radio — letting the world listen in.

6. Tony Stewart

Stewart famously blasted team decisions and leadership, both as a driver and owner. When he was unhappy, everyone knew immediately.

5. Brad Keselowski

While still at Penske, Keselowski openly questioned team calls and development direction, signaling a relationship that was clearly breaking down.

4. Kurt Busch

Radio meltdowns, public blowups, and post-race comments made Busch’s early career notorious. Teams often knew the criticism was coming — publicly.

3. Kyle Busch

Whether it was “junk” cars or missed adjustments, Busch rarely filtered his frustration. His honesty thrilled fans — and stressed team executives.

2. Joey Logano

Late in his Joe Gibbs Racing tenure, Logano openly questioned performance and support, comments that helped seal his exit from the team.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Jr.’s DEI comments were respectful — but devastating. Publicly acknowledging dysfunction inside his family team shattered its image and accelerated its collapse.