Denny Hamlin wins Michigan, taunts crowd while awaiting third child

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Denny Hamlin could feel nerves during the race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. 

Denny Hamlin waves as he is introduced during the pre-race driver introductions before the start of the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400

His fiancée, Jordan Fish, was six days past due with their third child and Hamlin and his team had decided if they got past Lap 50 of the 200-lap race, he wouldn’t be told if she went into labor. 

Things worked out for Hamlin. He won at Michigan and 90 minutes after the race, was still at the track doing media. He talked about why he needs to be at the birth, baby names … and fierce taunts of the crowd in Michigan.

That's Hamlin, living amid chaos and then creating even more for himself.

"I don't want to be so ho-hum with winning that it's boring because then I lose my drive," Hamlin said.

Hamlin, who has a group of friends who are Ohio State fans, gave the "O" sign to the Michigan crowd and resurrected his line that he told his father he wouldn’t use anymore as he crowed to the crowd: "I beat your favorite driver."

The boos reigned and Hamlin chuckled.

Denny Hamlin celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway

"I do thrive on it just simply because you feel like you've got 60,000 people that are rooting against you," Hamlin said. "When you have that, it just feels really, really good and gratifying to prove them wrong.

"I love that feeling." 

Hamlin had spent Saturday night in Michigan as Fish had not had any labor symptoms. Fish posted an Instagram story late in the race that she was at home.

"I felt decent enough about it," Hamlin said. "We had to set some sort of cutoff of whether I was going to finish or