Has the NASCAR Cup Series championship gotten away from Denny Hamlin yet again? This is the question the veteran JGR driver will be asking himself after the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It’s always been fine margins and close calls when it comes to sealing the fate for Hamlin, and it was not different this time around as he raced to lock himself in the Championship 4. But he fell short.

On the flip side, his own driver from 23XI Racing, Tyler Reddick, outpaced him, won the race, and secured a spot in the final 4. But, unlike the regular season title celebrations, Denny Hamlin didn’t show much excitement about his team’s accomplishments as he lamented his own loss. The numerous years of coming painstakingly close to the championship weigh much heavier for the JGR driver, as it all seems like déjà vu at the moment.

The driver version of Denny Hamlin couldn’t process 23XI Racing’s massive win

Tyler Reddick wasn’t supposed to be in contention for a win late in the race. But a late-race caution sparked by Kyle Larson allowed Reddick to mount a late-race upset. The #45 car didn’t have the best of restarts, as both Ryan Blaney and Hamlin cleared him. This is where #11 Denny Hamlin took command of the race lead with 2 to go.

However, the Penske star caught up to him on the next corner, and the side drafted him and overthrew him from the lead. That wasn’t it; even Reddick managed to get clear past the JGR driver on the final lap before pulling off a massive race-winning move on Blaney. And just like that, Hamlin blew away his chance to reach the championship 4 after the disappointments of the last few years.

Michael Jordan, Tyler Reddick, and the entire 23XI Racing camp were ecstatic in managing to achieve this feat. But, for Hamlin, this wasn’t the time for celebration, as the driver in him was hurt after not being able to close out the race. “I mean, I don’t know. Mentally, you can’t really put yourself in that place quite yet. Still soaking in kind of the driver side of things, but certainly happy for the team.” Hamlin said this to Bob Pockrass.

These comments were interesting, to say the least, because only recently Hamlin said that he wouldn’t mind 23XI Racing winning the championship. “I truly believe I’ve got two chances at a championship [as a driver and as an owner], and either one is really going to make me happy this year.” But it turns out the competitive driver version of Hamlin has second thoughts about these potential outcomes.

So does this mean, for the third year in a row, Denny Hamlin will miss out on the championship race? Well, he certainly hasn’t given up hope and looks to bounce back at Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin isn’t done just yet

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If there’s one track type that Hamlin would want to enter in a must-win scenario, it is short ovals. Therefore, next weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway is the reason for the #11 team to go out and give their best. The JGR driver has 3 top-5 finishes in the last 4 races there and finished in P11 during the fall race.

Sharing his take on the last few laps, Hamlin said this after the race. “I tried to cover all lanes but just couldn’t quite get off the corner as I needed to there on that short run, and short run wasn’t my speciality all day. Control the race 2 to go; we gotta find a way to finish it, and it just didn’t. I mean, yeah, it’s another opportunity, and certainly you’re not out of it till they throw the checkered flag at Martinsville.”

The veteran driver will have to channel his beast from 2009 to 2010 when he won three consecutive races at the track. Hamlin had a stellar season that time around, finishing in 2nd place by the end of the season behind NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, who won his fifth cup series title in a row. While Hamlin searches for his first one, maybe he can take inspiration from his battles with a legend who didn’t know how to lose.

18 points is the difference that Hamlin needs to make up next week and ensure he keeps his rivals at bay. As easy as it might sound, things could go down to the wire, and it is going to be a nervous race weekend for the #11 team fans for sure.