Denny Hamlin has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for two decades, achieving a top-five season finish ten times. Throughout his impressive career, he has secured 60 wins, placing him tied for 10th on the all-time victory list, and has earned three Daytona 500 titles, three Southern 500 victories, and one Coca-Cola 600 win, along with an All-Star Race triumph. Despite his success, Hamlin has yet to win a NASCAR Cup championship, with many expecting 2025 to be the year he finally claims the title.
In 2006, Hamlin had a strong rookie campaign, finishing just behind champion Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Matt Kenseth under the then 10-race postseason format. In 2010, Hamlin led the championship into the final race but a collision early in the race set him back, resulting in a 14th-place finish and a runner-up season in points. By 2014, Hamlin was part of the first-ever Championship 4 in the playoff era, where despite leading laps, he finished third after rival Kevin Harvick overtook him late in the race.
In 2019, as part of the Championship 4 alongside teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., and Kevin Harvick, Hamlin faced mechanical issues due to overheating, forcing him to finish 10th and 4th in the final standings. The 2020 season saw him lose ground in the Phoenix finale, finishing fourth without leading a lap, followed by a 2021 season where he again reached the final four but finished third after a late-race restart disappointment.
Hamlin’s 2022 campaign ended abruptly and controversially when Ross Chastain collided with him in a dramatic last-lap move at Martinsville, knocking Hamlin out of the Championship 4, a shocking moment for fans. The 2025 season brought Hamlin closest to championship glory, leading late in the race but dropping positions after a four-tire pit stop decision, allowing Kyle Larson to steal the title despite never leading a lap himself.
Now 44 years old and in the final years of his current contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin remains determined to chase his first Cup Series championship, though recent setbacks have left him reflecting on his future in racing.
Fan Take: Denny Hamlin’s near misses highlight the brutal intensity and unpredictability of NASCAR’s championship battles, keeping fans on edge season after season. His persistence and talent symbolize the sport’s enduring spirit and the fierce competition that makes every race finale so thrilling for NASCAR enthusiasts.
