Denny Hamlin has an awesome NASCAR Cup Series career. Just take a look:
–58 career wins
–245 top-5s (34 percent of his starts)
–371 top-10s (52 percent)
But there’s one big goose egg: Championships.
Denny Hamlin is hoping luck is on his side as he attempts to end his championship drought.
Hamlin has been part of the postseason 18 times. And 18 times he has come away with no championship. The car nor the format have not mattered when it comes to him conquering the point system at that given time.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished second in the standings in 2010. He was third in three others.
Since the elimination-style playoffs started in 2014, he has made them every time. He has made the semifinal round nine times and the championship round in four of those years.
So with four wins this year, is this the year?
“For 20 years, I’ve tried to give an explanation of why one year is different than another, but truthfully, they’re not different,” Hamlin said. “I’m running as fast as I’ve ever run. We’re winning as many races as anyone in the series.
“It’s just a matter whether the things we can’t control keep us from competing or not. Mistakes will be a big factor. Do I make any mistakes? I don’t know. It’s all yet to be seen. It’s can you execute? And if we execute at the left-turn [non-road-course] tracks, we’re quick sufficient to go all the best way.”
Hamlin enters the playoffs seeded third with a 23-point cushion on the present cutoff getting into the primary of the three three-race rounds the place wins permit a driver to advance and people winless with the fewest factors after three races are eradicated. Then within the championship race, the 4 finalists enter on equal footing with the most effective finisher profitable the title.
“Yearly may very well be the 12 months for Denny,” mentioned shut pal and 2021 Cup champion Kyle Larson. “He is such a menace yearly and in all places. He ran good at [championship race site] Phoenix earlier this 12 months — he hasn’t actually ran that nicely at Phoenix, I really feel like, in fairly a while.
“If I am unable to win it or one in every of my teammates cannot win it, I might like to see him lastly recover from that hump and get a championship as a result of he deserves it. He is executed so much for the game.”
Denny Hamlin has gained loads of instances in his profession, sadly, simply not within the championship race.
With the introduction of the Subsequent Gen automobile in 2021, the sphere has appeared tighter with fewer dominant drivers. That was by design as all of the groups get the vast majority of their chassis and components and items (besides engines) from the identical vendor.
“All the things is just a bit bit nearer,” Hamlin mentioned. “Monitor place means somewhat extra. Qualifying means somewhat bit extra. Playoff factors are unfold out among the many area, barely greater than what it has been previously.
“If something, you are taking a look at in all probability the underside 4 guys proper now champing on the bit, understanding they’re solely 20-some factors out of the purpose lead. So I believe that it is extensive open from that stance of the place you may have somebody very surprising make it to the ultimate 4.”
Hamlin mentioned he doesn’t need his crew chief, Chris Gayle, to vary any of the best way he calls races. It’s the first 12 months Hamlin is working with Gayle, who has spent most of his profession with younger drivers in his automobile.
“We’ve acquired as many wins as anybody,” Hamlin mentioned. “We’re not going to vary a lot, and I hope that he does not change his mindset going into these final 10 [races] as a result of I need him to name the race and name the pictures freely.
“I’ll go this into this 12 months as free as I’ve ever gone. If we win, we win. If we do not, we do not. So long as I can win just a few extra races earlier than the top of the 12 months, it will be very profitable 12 months for the 11 crew, and I will be proud of no matter end result we get from that.”
What Hamlin was referring to was {that a} couple extra wins would get him to 60 for his profession, a benchmark that he desires to realize. This gained’t be Hamlin’s final season as he just lately signed a two-year extension by means of 2027.
“If Denny gained all of it, I would be tremendous comfortable for him,” mentioned his JGR teammate Chase Briscoe mentioned. “You do not win as many races as you do with out deserving to be a champion, and Denny, arguably, is the most effective of all time and not using a championship.”
Hamlin has gained races in 19 of the final 20 years, and has gained a minimum of 3 times in every of the final three years. For the final 5 years, he has co-owned 23XI Racing with basketball legend Michael Jordan.
“I would not say something about this 12 months stands out as to why this 12 months can be extra so the 12 months over the others,” mentioned 23XI driver Tyler Reddick mentioned. “However for me, it is simply the truth that 12 months after 12 months, he is as sturdy as he’s — the place he’s within the common season, the place he’s within the win column.
“When you do this constantly yearly, you are going to hold placing your self within the place to battle for a championship.”
Tyler Reddick will probably be competing towards boss Denny Hamlin for the 2025 championship.
The crew possession hasn’t impacted his efficiency. And it doesn’t seem the continued contentious antitrust lawsuit between 23XI and NASCAR has impacted Hamlin on the observe.
Relying on the ruling on account of a listening to Thursday on whether or not 23XI can resume being a chartered crew, Hamlin might face the chance that his drivers are free brokers as a result of he can’t present them a constitution.
That doesn’t imply they are going to depart, however Reddick is taken into account one of many high younger skills within the sport, and different groups are able to make presents.
“I’ve acquired to remain targeted on the playoffs and the races forward of us,” mentioned Reddick, one in every of two winless drivers to make the playoffs on factors. “This has been a troublesome 12 months, and it is actually going to be necessary getting this playoffs began on the suitable foot.
“I’m simply staying targeted on being within the 45 and attempting to place collectively a superb first spherical that’ll hopefully get our momentum rotated.”
Hamlin was succinct if he was fearful concerning the affect of the lawsuit on his driver and sponsor lineup.
“I’ve completely zero concern concerning the lawsuit,” he mentioned Wednesday, a day earlier than the listening to Thursday. “I do know the info.”
On the observe, the info are that he hasn’t gained a championship. He has proven he has been one of many high drivers this 12 months. So as soon as once more, is that this the 12 months? Hamlin wonders if his time will are available in a 12 months the place he hasn’t run as nicely.
“I really feel like that will be the 12 months that we win — is the one the place we get fortunate and get to the ultimate 4 and win,” Hamlin mentioned. “We’ve been so assured for the final couple many years with our velocity and the racetracks and the way it units up for us
“However finally, the velocity at instances hasn’t mattered due to the execution. Perhaps one time — one time — we’ll get fortunate.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years overlaying motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
What did you consider this story?
really helpful
Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
