As the NASCAR playoffs intensify, the spotlight is firmly on Austin Cindric NASCAR championship prediction, with speculation swirling around whether Denny Hamlin can finally achieve a long-awaited championship win. Hamlin, a standout in the sport and contender with a remarkable five victories this season, remains without a championship on his Hall of Fame résumé as he pursues both his 60th career win and the elusive title at Phoenix Raceway.
Hamlin’s Pursuit of Dual Milestones
Veteran driver Denny Hamlin edges closer to a significant personal milestone, needing just one more win to reach 60 in his NASCAR Cup Series career. His quest is even more significant this season, as he also seeks to conquer the only gap in his legendary record—a Cup Series championship. Despite being 44 years old, Hamlin is widely considered among the favorites this year, thanks to a series-leading tally of victories, including his most recent at Gateway.
However, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic shared a different view on the Door Bumper Clear podcast.
“I say spot off, only because if Denny wins the championship, he’s going to have to win the race,”
—Jordan Bianchi, The Athletic. Bianchi elaborated,
“But I think before he gets to the championship, he’s going to win another race. So, if he gets to the championship, that would be career win No. 61. So, spot off.”
—Jordan Bianchi, The Athletic.
Team Penske’s Growing Influence in the Championship Picture
While Hamlin’s form places him as “the driver to beat,” questions remain about whether he can finish the job—especially if Team Penske, a dominant force in the last three championships, fields a finalist in Phoenix. Freddie Kraft, referencing the strength of Penske, pointed to the challenges Hamlin may face if both organizations compete for the trophy.
“I think he does win at least one more [race] before the season ends, but Phoenix is hard,”
—Freddie Kraft, Spotter. Kraft added,
“Phoenix is going to be tough because there’s an organization that the guy to my left [Austin Cindric] drives for that’s been pretty f*cking good there for the last three years and we just need to hope that we can somehow shove them out of the final four to give us a better shot at it.”
—Freddie Kraft, Spotter.
Reflecting on Hamlin’s hot streak, Kraft reminded listeners of the complex challenges of a championship run:
“Denny’s on a heater right now — back-to-back poles, wins the race this week. But it just goes to show you… it takes the total package. … Everything has to go right to get one of these wins.”
—Freddie Kraft, Spotter.
Cindric’s Perspective: Playoff Dynamics Can Shift Rapidly
Penske’s Austin Cindric, now also in the playoffs, acknowledged Hamlin’s strength but highlighted the unpredictable nature of postseason racing, emphasizing how quickly a perceived advantage can fade.
“You look at the season, it’s really hard to pick [a championship favorite]. The ebbs and flows of who’s at dominate strength, I mean, right now, it’s the Gibbs guys. They’ve started the playoffs off extremely strong with all their playoff cars,”
—Austin Cindric, Penske Driver.
He added a note of caution about relying on early playoff form:
“From what I’ve heard from him talking, Denny sounds just as motivated to get 60 [wins] as he is to get a championship, so it should be interesting to see how that all plays out. I’m not gonna just sit here after the first two playoff races and think, ah, Gibbs has it under control.”
—Austin Cindric, Penske Driver.
Possible Outcomes for the NASCAR Championship Race
Denny Hamlin’s remarkable season, his drive for a long-awaited championship, and his pursuit of even more career wins make him a central figure as the playoffs continue. However, challenges from Team Penske, with drivers like Austin Cindric, and the unpredictability of the postseason mean nothing is guaranteed. With both Gibbs and Penske organizations performing at high levels, the coming races promise to be pivotal in determining whether Hamlin can finally capture that hard-fought championship or if another contender will claim NASCAR’s highest honor.
