Denny Hamlin Eyes NASCAR Championship: Denny Hamlin, a 42-year-old NASCAR driver, has high hopes for the first playoff race at Darlington Raceway and has had a good season so far. Hamlin and his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota squad won Kansas and Pocono this year. He starts third out of 16 cars. Despite never winning a series, Hamlin has been a perennial contender. Since 2014 NASCAR launched its playoff system, he has reached the Championship 4 four times.
Hamlin is confident because his team has improved on different circuits. “I think we’ve shown we could win and had speed on all tracks this year,” he said at downtown Charlotte’s Playoff Media Day on Thursday. He thinks the Next Gen car has improved the team’s speed overall. Hamlin believes pace at the penultimate race in Phoenix is crucial to winning the title.
The seasoned driver has won 50 Cup races and poled 40 times but never a series title. Second place in 2010 was his best series finish. Hamlin is hopeful that this year will be different, saying, “I think we’re better than we’ve been. If we make it to the final four, I don’t care if we’re behind. He also said that his pit team is getting better and that all the pieces are in place for him to win the championship.”
If Hamlin wants to win a championship late in his career, age doesn’t matter. Richard Petty, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt, who died, won major titles after 30. Kevin Harvick, at the age of 38, won his first Cup title in 2014, and Martin Truex Jr., at 37, won in 2017. This year, Harvick and Truex are in the playoffs.
Hamlin added, “I know specific little areas where I need to get better that have cost me chances, like late-race restarts and other things like that.” 10 playoff races are planned. He believes he is more prepared and has everything needed to win a title. “Honestly, I’m as fast as I’ve ever been,” he added.
Denny Hamlin enters the NASCAR playoffs with a terrific season and a positive outlook. He believes his team’s quickness and knowledge make him a viable candidate for the championship he hasn’t won. Hamlin has won races late in his career, so his age doesn’t matter for his title chances. Hamlin is improving things and thinks he has what he needs for a solid playoff run.
