At Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin, who is passionate about golf, used a golf metaphor to describe his 2026 championship prospects during the midpoint of The Chase. After a disappointing 16th-place finish at Las Vegas, Hamlin told reporters, “You just have to play the ball where it lies,” acknowledging the gap he needs to close and emphasizing the need to perform at his best.
Despite his 64 career Cup wins, Hamlin has yet to secure a Cup championship. This season appeared promising as he entered the 10-race Chase as the top seed. However, his results in The Chase have been inconsistent, with finishes of 18th, ninth, eighth, third, and most recently 16th. At Las Vegas, his team sacrificed the lead by pitting early and restarting 10th, putting him in heavy traffic. Though he climbed to fourth position, he spun in the marbles, causing underbody damage. Later, a fuel pressure issue during caution cost him additional positions before the final stage.
Hamlin has encountered fewer such setbacks during the regular season and hopes these difficulties are behind him for the remaining five races. After Las Vegas, he fell 40 points behind leader Kyle Larson, although he remains second in the overall standings. Hamlin admitted, “It’s definitely not been smooth in The Chase. We haven’t had disaster days but have had several performances below our potential,” acknowledging the lost points in Vegas given their car speed before the incident.
He had projected that as the top seed, averaging 40 points per race would be necessary for a strong title chance. So far, he averages 35.6 points, while Larson averages 54.6. Hamlin stressed that while he’s not simply chasing points, he aims to deliver the best race results and accumulate maximum points. With Larson’s pace, Hamlin will need to step up his game in the remaining events, which is feasible given his strong finishes earlier in the year at tracks like Charlotte, Phoenix, and Martinsville—all upcoming in the final stretch.
During the postseason, Hamlin focuses primarily on driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, putting aside his co-ownership duties at 23XI Racing. Expecting 2027 to be his final season, he has been careful to avoid burnout by taking more time off and conserving energy for The Chase. Joe Gibbs, his team owner, believes Hamlin has what it takes to capture his first title despite the current points deficit, noting that a win could quickly close the gap within the final five races.
In other news, RFK Racing faces change as Brad Keselowski and the team couldn’t agree on a contract extension, leading to Keselowski’s planned departure and the team’s buyout of his ownership stake. Drivers Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece are tasked with guiding the team through this transition. Preece is particularly relieved to have a chartered ride next season, ensuring entry to the Daytona 500 without concerns over qualifying. Both drivers expressed respect for Keselowski’s invaluable experience and contribution to their growth.
Several updates include Sheldon Creed moving from Haas Factory Team to Sam Hunt Racing next year, Jake Garcia replacing Chandler Smith in Front Row Motorsports’ No. 38 truck, and NASCAR adopting the same aerodynamic package for Talladega as Daytona, with a slight spoiler size reduction to encourage more driver separation and strategic racing. Additionally, Arrow McLaren announced a new multiyear sponsorship with Edward Jones, including backing Scott Dixon at the 2027 Indy 500. INDYCAR also renewed its Independent Officiating Board, maintaining oversight of technical and officiating decisions separate from team owners.
Mourning in motorsports, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Gordon Johncock passed away at 90, leaving behind a legacy of 25 career series victories.
In a lighter note, Chase Briscoe humorously admitted he would have faced significant wrath from his crew chief if he had lost a recent race.
Fan Take:
Denny Hamlin’s ongoing battle in The Chase highlights the intense competition and unpredictability that keeps NASCAR thrilling. Meanwhile, the shifts in teams and technical regulations signal a fresh wave of change that could reshape the future dynamics of the sport, making the upcoming season one to watch closely for all NASCAR fans.
Source: www.foxsports.com
