After two decades of remarkable achievements in the NASCAR Cup Series, Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup career remains defined by his notable wins and near-misses, but not a championship. Despite dominating race wins in recent years and frequently contending for the title, Hamlin, the longtime Joe Gibbs Racing driver, has yet to secure the elusive Cup, even as the 2025 season seemed ripe for his breakthrough.
A Career Full of Highs and Missed Championship Opportunities
Over 20 full-time seasons, Denny Hamlin has consistently been among the top competitors in the series. He has finished inside the top five in the standings ten times, reflecting rare consistency at NASCAR’s highest level. Hamlin’s accolades include 60 career victories—which ties him for tenth all-time—a trio of Daytona 500 wins, three Southern 500 victories, and a Coca-Cola 600 triumph. Along with an All-Star Race victory, these accomplishments place him among the NASCAR greats. Yet, year after year, a championship has remained out of reach.
Hamlin’s fierce competitiveness was on display again in 2025, as he led the field in wins and played a central role in every major storyline throughout the season. At the Phoenix finale, Hamlin delivered a nearly flawless performance, leading over 200 laps and outpacing his closest title rivals, but a late-race caution changed everything, marking another heartbreaking near-miss. The following account traces the pivotal moments and unfortunate turns that have defined Hamlin’s chase for the championship.
2006: Rookie Campaign Sets a High Bar
Hamlin’s talent was evident from his rookie year, competing against top names like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and Jimmie Johnson. Under the old Chase for the Nextel Cup playoff structure, Hamlin finished the season 68 points behind champion Johnson—a gap comparable to the difference between first and 15th place in a single race under that system. He ended just 12 points behind Kenseth for second place, an achievement that earned recognition even if the title wasn’t within immediate grasp.
2010: A Costly Mistake Ends His Title Hopes
The 2010 season saw Hamlin closer to the title than he’d ever been. Entering the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he led the standings, 15 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson. Starting from the rear, Hamlin’s determination led him to make bold moves early, but contact with Greg Biffle just 25 laps in resulted in a spin and splitter damage. Despite efforts to recover, Hamlin finished 14th while Johnson took second, costing Hamlin the title by 39 points and leaving him the championship runner-up for the first time.
2014: Part of the First Championship 4
As NASCAR debuted its elimination-style playoffs, Hamlin was among the inaugural Championship 4 alongside Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, and Ryan Newman. Hamlin seized control late in the race by staying out under caution as the others pitted, but Harvick soon reclaimed the lead with seven laps to go. Newman also passed Hamlin, who ultimately finished third in both the race and the overall championship—a strong run, yet still just short of ultimate glory.
2019: Engine Troubles at a Crucial Moment
In 2019, Hamlin faced off against Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., and longtime rival Kevin Harvick, in another Championship 4 showdown. With 50 laps remaining, Hamlin’s crew applied too much tape to the car’s grille—raising water temperatures dangerously. Forced to pit as steam poured out of the No. 11 Toyota, Hamlin dropped to tenth for the race and finished fourth in the championship, once again seeing a promising campaign undone by late misfortune.
2020: Outpaced in Phoenix Finale
Hamlin returned to the Championship 4 in 2020, the first year Phoenix hosted the final race. He spent much of the day in the top five but lacked the speed to threaten the Penske or Hendrick teams contending for the title. Hamlin failed to lead a lap and placed fourth among the final four, highlighting another year where he was strong enough for the championship round but could not best his main rivals.
2021: Defeated on a Critical Restart
In 2021’s championship race, Hamlin once again made the Championship 4, racing alongside Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., and others. Hamlin lined up on the front row for the final restart next to Larson, but as the green flag flew, Larson surged ahead, bolstered by the aerodynamic importance of clean air with the then-current 550hp rules. Hamlin finished third, topping a strong season but left again without a title, having not led any laps in the final event.
2022: Shocking Elimination in the Round of 8
The 2022 season brought a different kind of heartbreak. Denny Hamlin, fighting for a Championship 4 berth, entered the Martinsville cutoff race slightly behind Ross Chastain but clawed back the deficit with stage points and a solid run. On the last lap, Hamlin appeared to secure advancement—only for Chastain to erase the gap with an unprecedented move, riding the outside wall at blistering speed through Turn 4 to snatch the final spot. The stunning maneuver eliminated Hamlin, leaving him and much of NASCAR in disbelief. The following week, Joey Logano’s dominance at Phoenix suggested Hamlin might have fallen short in the finale regardless, but the exit was nonetheless bitter.
2025: Closest Yet—A Championship Slips Away Late
Perhaps no season haunts Denny Hamlin more than 2025. With less than a minute separating him from a likely championship at Phoenix, Hamlin had one hand on the Bill France Cup. A cut tire sent William Byron into the wall, bringing out an untimely caution just before Hamlin could take the white flag, which would have ended the possibility of overtime. Facing a critical pit strategy choice, Hamlin’s team opted for four fresh tires, believing it was their best shot. However, the decision dropped him from the lead to tenth on the track, while title rival Kyle Larson took two tires instead.
As the green flag waved, Hamlin charged forward but could only reach sixth place, while Larson finished third—securing the championship without leading a lap all day. Hamlin, having led more than 200 laps and outperformed throughout the race, was denied the title yet again in painful fashion. At 44 years old and nearing the end of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin still has time, but the window is narrowing.
I plan to (race next year). I have a contract to, but there’s, at this point, there’s just absolutely no way that I would even … I don’t even think about the race car right now. Just yeah, I’m gonna need some time on this one.
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
The Road Ahead: Is a Title Still Within Reach?
Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup career stands as one of remarkable skill, perseverance, and heartbreak. Despite 60 wins and victories in marquee events like the Daytona 500 and Southern 500, the championship trophy has proven elusive. Hamlin’s reputation for endurance and racecraft is well-established, but year after year, unforeseen twists—be it strategy missteps, bad luck, or dramatic rival moves like those from Ross Chastain—have kept him from celebrating on championship night.
With just two full-time seasons remaining on his current contract and the depth of competition in NASCAR as fierce as ever, it is uncertain whether Hamlin will achieve the championship distinction his talent suggests. His recent defeat, described as one of the toughest of his career, has led many—including Hamlin himself—to wonder how much longer he will continue the chase. Yet, as one of NASCAR’s most resilient figures, he will remain a focal point for fans and a benchmark for future generations until the very end of his storied racing journey.
