Homestead, Martinsville, and then comes the big one at Phoenix. These are the last 3 races of the 2024 season. Although there are only 3 races left for the season to end, there is a lot on the line in the upcoming races. With Martinsville being a track where NASCAR has experimented in the past when it comes to tires, Denny Hamlin had a few things to say about NASCAR’s decisions on the track last time.

Last time, at the Martinsville race, NASCAR introduced their experimental compound tires and that didn’t work out as well as they wanted to. Goodyear introduced a soft tread compound for the left-side tire at Martinsville to improve grip and promote overtaking. While this innovation aims to make races more entertaining with a pitstop strategy, it has also raised concerns about tire wear and durability. The last time at Martinsville, tires weren’t wearing as much as expected and drivers took advantage of the higher grip without dealing with much wear. Denny Hamlin was the one to point it out ahead of the playoff Martinsville race.

Denny Hamlin’s take on the new compound for the Martinsville race

Martinsville will come with the choice of picking different tires and from how the new compound has worked out in the past, it’s obvious why many drivers are skeptical. Denny Hamlin voiced his concerns on the same in a recent interview, and that’s where the situation started to heat up.

In a recent interview on the Cup Scene YouTube channel, Denny Hamlin’s pre-race interview was uploaded. A little into the interview, Hamlin was asked, “Looking ahead to Martinsville next week, it’s expected there will be a different tire compound. It’s supposed to be softer, with more wear. That kind of setup would seem to favor you, given your strengths in managing tires. Do you look at that as your race?”

Positive about the upcoming race’s situation Hamlin made it clear that he was happy to see the experimental compound. Hamlin explained, “Yeah, it sure is exciting to go there with a tire like we’ve never seen before—something that’s going to be really, really soft.” However, despite his positivity towards the new compound, he stated, “Tire management was a factor when they were testing it. The only difference is that once all those cars are out there, the track will rubber up, and the tire wear will shift somewhat. “

As was observed last time, the experimental tires were supposed to wear at a rate of 2-3 minute degradation towards the end of their lives, but when that did not happen, many drivers came forth to share their thoughts on the same. However, this time, Denny Hamlin feels extremely positive about the tires, and beyond that, he had a message to share with Goodyear: “I really applaud Goodyear for having the nerve to put this tire on during the playoffs. I’m certainly excited to see how it turns out.”

Martinsville is a track Hamlin will look towards fondly, given his tremendous success there. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has three top-5 finishes in his last four races at the track and placed in P11 earlier this year. His five race wins at the track will certainly be a motivating factor for the veteran to make one last push at the championship 4.

Denny Hamlin is looking forward to seeing things shaken up a bit during the playoffs. With just 3 races left till the season ends, it’s obvious that the pressure is at an all-time high. Hamlin is currently in the elimination zone of the playoffs, and if he plans on getting into the finals, it will be a conventional race at Homestead or him adapting to the new tires at Martinsville. Either way, the playoffs are getting more heated by the second and now that there are only 2 races left for the finals, let’s take a look at the No. 11 team’s plans for the upcoming race.

What is Denny Hamlin planning for the Homestead playoffs race?

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In the lead-up to Homestead, Denny Hamlin gave a thoughtful rundown of his mindset and approach heading into one of the last races in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Reflecting on his position, Hamlin shared that advancing to the Championship 4 isn’t out of reach, but it will require a bit of luck and some strong finishes. He acknowledged that while his team’s speed and pit performance haven’t been top-notch lately, he’s not letting that play with his resolve. “We just have to have one or two of the guys up front stub their toe,” he stated, knowing that even with recent struggles, the chance to compete for a championship is still on the table. Hamlin currently sits 5th in the playoff standings, -27 below the cutline.

Hamlin didn’t shy away from discussing the difficulties his pit crew has faced this season, noting the string of unfortunate events during stops that have slowed their momentum. Despite these issues, he voiced his confidence in the team’s abilities, recalling that this same crew was among the best earlier in the season. He explained that it’s been a tough streak of varying problems on pit road, but that’s not due to a lack of talent. Hamlin admitted that while the timing hasn’t been in their favor, every new race is a fresh opportunity. The focus now is on correcting these inconsistencies and getting back on track, mentally and performance-wise, as they approach the final playoff races.

When asked about his team’s strategy for Martinsville and the challenges of a must-win scenario, he’s enthusiastic about the new tire compound Goodyear is introducing, hoping it brings an edge to the race. As for the pressure, he knows that winning is no easy feat, especially with competitors who aren’t going to hand him the checkered flag. But Hamlin’s confidence remains strong, trusting his crew chief Chris Gabehart’s leadership to keep morale high and refocus the team. Even with a tricky season, he’s hopeful that the work they’ve put in will pay off and that their playoff journey isn’t over yet.

With that said, do you think that Denny Hamlin has a shot at the finals in Phoenix? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.