Bob Pockrass
FOX Motorsports Insider
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 way in which.”
Hamlin enters the playoffs seeded third with a 23-point cushion on the present cutoff coming into the primary of the three three-race rounds the place wins enable 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 one of the best finisher successful the title.
“Yearly could possibly be the 12 months for Denny,” stated shut pal and 2021 Cup champion Kyle Larson. “He is such a menace yearly and all over the place. He ran good at [championship race site] Phoenix earlier this 12 months — he hasn’t actually ran that properly at Phoenix, I really feel like, in fairly a while.
“If I can not 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 completed quite a bit for the game.”
Denny Hamlin has gained loads of occasions 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 elements and items (besides engines) from the identical vendor.
“Every little thing is just a bit bit nearer,” Hamlin stated. “Monitor place means a little bit extra. Qualifying means a little bit bit extra. Playoff factors are unfold out among the many subject, barely greater than what it has been up to now.
“If something, you are taking a look at most likely the underside 4 guys proper now champing on the bit, realizing they’re solely 20-some factors out of the purpose lead. So I believe that it is broad open from that stance of the place you might have somebody very surprising make it to the ultimate 4.”
Hamlin stated he doesn’t need his crew chief, Chris Gayle, to alter any of the way in which 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 received as many wins as anybody,” Hamlin stated. “We’re not going to alter a lot, and I hope that he would not change his mindset going into these final 10 [races] as a result of I would like 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 a number of extra races earlier than the tip of the 12 months, it is going to be very profitable 12 months for the 11 workforce, and I will be proud of no matter consequence 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 needs to realize. This gained’t be Hamlin’s final season as he just lately signed a two-year extension via 2027.
“If Denny gained all of it, I would be tremendous joyful for him,” stated his JGR teammate Chase Briscoe stated. “You do not win as many races as you do with out deserving to be a champion, and Denny, arguably, is one of the best of all time with out a championship.”
Hamlin has gained races in 19 of the final 20 years, and has gained not less than thrice 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,” stated 23XI driver Tyler Reddick stated. “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.
“In the event you try this persistently yearly, you are going to maintain placing your self within the place to battle for a championship.”
Tyler Reddick shall be competing towards boss Denny Hamlin for the 2025 championship.
The workforce 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 monitor.
Relying on the ruling because of a listening to Thursday on whether or not 23XI can resume being a chartered workforce, 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 may go away, however Reddick is taken into account one of many prime younger skills within the sport, and different groups are able to make provides.
“I’ve received to remain centered on the playoffs and the races forward of us,” stated 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 centered on being within the 45 and attempting to place collectively first spherical that’ll hopefully get our momentum circled.”
Hamlin was succinct if he was fearful in regards to the influence of the lawsuit on his driver and sponsor lineup.
“I’ve completely zero concern in regards to the lawsuit,” he stated Wednesday, a day earlier than the listening to Thursday. “I do know the information.”
On the monitor, the information are that he hasn’t gained a championship. He has proven he has been one of many prime 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 properly.
“I really feel like that might be the 12 months that we win — is the one the place we get fortunate and get to the ultimate 4 and win,” Hamlin stated. “We’ve been so assured for the final couple a long time with our velocity and the racetracks and the way it units up for us
“However in the end, the velocity at occasions hasn’t mattered due to the execution. Possibly one time — one time — we’ll get fortunate.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time overlaying motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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