NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin recently competed in a playoff race at the Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, VA, and his FedEx car featured a brand new decal on the right rear fender.

It was a white and brown pickleball paddle with a yellow, red, blue, and green stripe. Orange, purple and white pickleballs are also featured along the door.

This was a pretty big race for Hamlin. It marked the second-to-last time he raced with FedEx as they are ending their NASCAR sponsorship at the end of the year. It was also the final playoff race that determined who would be advancing to the Championship.  

Tragedy struck during the practice session on Day 1 when Hamlin’s throttle stuck and he crashed into the fence, right near the pickleball paddle decal. 

Fortunately, he was able to spin the car and hit the wall in the rear to avoid a head-on collision with the wall. But, Hamlin still had to use his backup car for the race. Unfortunately, he finished fifth and didn't advance.

This crash may have soured Hamlin’s enthusiasm for pickleball. He is one of the best drivers in the business, but has yet to win a Championship. And unfortunately, the pickleball decal did not lead him to victory.

Despite the tough result for Hamlin, the pickleball decal reflects how pickleball and NASCAR continue to blend. 

Drivers like Hamlin and Austin Dillon are avid pickleball players in their free time. And drivers build temporary pickleball courts on the track for some downtime dinking after practice. A few PPA pros even visited the historic Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this year to take a lap. 

It’s only a matter of time before we get a pickleball-themed racecar. I would love to see a PPA-branded vehicle hit the track and reach the top of the podium. That would be epic.