The Homestead Miami Speedway played host to a high-stakes showdown in the Round of 8 on Sunday. The competition between Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney took center stage in what turned out to be a dramatic race, leaving fans and experts thrilled with excitement. But what really happened? And why did Denny Hamlin fight so hard to keep Blaney from winning? Well, Hamlin himself gave us the answer on his podcast.

Hamlin and Blaney both were eyeing a spot in the final round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. As the race entered its last leg, Hamlin executed a daring move, attempting to pass Blaney and claim the lead. This strategic maneuver briefly put him in front, but his lead was short-lived as Christopher Bell took advantage of the situation and left Blaney and Hamlin fighting for the second spot.

Why did Denny Hamlin not want Blaney to win the race?

Christopher Bell surged past both Hamlin and Blaney, leaving the #11 and #12 contending for second place. Tension kept building as Hamlin was determined to gain an edge, making contact with Blaney’s car. For a brief moment, it seemed like Hamlin would hold onto the place, but Blaney took him over. The iconic track had other plans for Hamlin. A mechanical failure struck the #11 car, sending Hamlin careening into the wall and crushing his hopes of winning.

After the race, tempers flared, and Ryan Blaney didn’t hold back, labeling Hamlin’s move as a “hack” attempt. However, Hamlin had a different story to tell. In the aftermath of the race, Denny Hamlin addressed the accusations of a “hack” move and explained why he couldn’t let Ryan Blaney take the checkered flag. He shed light on his strategy, revealing the thoughts behind his decision-making.

Hamlin pointed out the critical factor of the championship points situation. He stated, “Blaney at the time is 17 points back to enter the day. He’s one of the last cars I want to win the race, right? I mean, I want me, Martin, the #24, and the #5 because we have the most points, right? I want one of us to win the race, I don’t want someone below the cutline winning. That just makes the point situation worse. So if anything, I am gonna battle the bottom guys harder than I am gonna battle the guys that are above the cutline.”

Hamlin also addressed the unpredictability of the race, saying, “You never know. I mean, he wasn’t [good] two runs ago. How am I supposed to know if his car was gonna be better or was it gonna be worse? I don’t know, maybe they made adjustments, we don’t know. Maybe my car is not gonna be as good. We don’t know. So if I am leading the race, I am absolutely trying to control the restart. And I am gonna fight tooth and nail to get in front of the car that I know I am better than or had been better than on the previous restart.”

As Hamlin’s championship aspirations hang in the balance, it raises a question that’s become all too familiar to NASCAR fans: Is this really Denny Hamlin’s year?

It has been Denny Hamlin’s year one too many times

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For the past two months, pundits and experts had been proclaiming that this was Hamlin’s moment, his year to secure the championship he’d long coveted. His victory at the Bristol Motor Speedway, concluding the opening round of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, seemed like a turning point. It marked Hamlin’s record-breaking career victories without a championship, a distinction previously held by the legendary Junior Johnson.

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But the storyline of “this is Denny Hamlin’s year” has played out before, and it has not always culminated in a championship win. Whether it was his eight-win season in 2010, his six-win season in 2019 after a winless 2018, his seven-win season in 2020, or his consistent performance in 2021, Hamlin has been on the cusp of glory multiple times, only to be denied the championship trophy.

With a familiar script unfolding, the question remains: Can Denny Hamlin change the narrative before it’s too late? The NASCAR world will be watching closely as the drama unfolds in the final 2 races.

As Hamlin faces the uphill battle of securing his first championship, it has left NASCAR fans wondering if this year will finally break the familiar narrative. The story of Denny Hamlin’s career has been one of remarkable consistency and competitive spirit. But the ultimate prize has eluded him. Whether he can change the ending to his story remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: NASCAR’s drama is far from over.

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