Denny Hamlin made himself a comfortable spot in the playoffs, and after the Talladega race, he is 4th in the playoff charts. With one more race to go, Hamlin believes that he will find his way into the top 8. The last race in the second round of the playoffs is at The Roval, and unlike the tracks that Hamlin excels at, this one happens to be a road course.

In the last 8 years, Denny Hamlin has struggled on road courses, with his last win being back in 2016 at The Glen. Ever since then, he has had bad luck, which has led to many believing that those aren’t his strong suits. In the latest episode of his podcast, Denny Hamlin and the team discuss how the next race will go for him, although the driver feels confident. Others did not seem to believe him.

Denny Hamlin’s Roval claim gets shut down

Denny Hamlin has had a tough time in the playoffs, where he narrowly made it back from being eliminated. After a difficult first two races, it was obvious that he had to pull up his socks and deliver results on track. When Bristol was next in the lineup, Hamlin was confident about the race. Before the race, he mentioned that he was looking to win, and with a P4 result that put him back in the game, his results were satisfactory.

On the episode of Denny Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental that aired after the Talladega race, while the two discussed the wrecks and how other drivers; especially Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, and Ryan Blaney (the table-toppers), are likely to race next week, Denny Hamlin shared how confident he was about the upcoming race.

Hamlin was asked if he would score 17 points at the Roval race by co-host Jared Allen. In response, he said, “I was going to win the Roval.” Without another breath being taken, Jared Allen replied with, “Bulls–t” to Hamlin’s claim (all in a mocking manner). However, perhaps Allen has a point. Considering Hamlin’s performance at the Roval last year, it’s easy to dismiss his hopes of victory there. In the initial playoff round of 12 qualifiers, Hamlin experienced a setback, spinning out in the backstretch chicane and stalling on the track. As a result, he had to start the race in ninth place.

Denny Hamlin finished that race in P37, succeeding in the round of 8. Even ESPN Journalist Marty Smith predicted after the race, “I still feel like it’s Denny Hamlin’s year. I just do. You’re able to get through Talladega, you’re able to get through the Roval and now you’re still in a really good position…this might be a year of destiny for Denny and there’s nothing, even bad luck at Charlotte, which has changed my opinion of that.” But, another year with good stats, and the No. 11 is still fighting for a championship.

Over the last 8 years, Denny Hamlin has not won a single-round course race. Even in the years prior to 2023, Hamlin has not shown pace at road course tracks; he only finished once in the Top 5, which only adds to why his claim was not believed. All of this coming during the 23XI Racing lawsuit just adds to the pressure that’s on the driver.

23XI Racing lawsuit takes another turn

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After NASCAR revealed that they are bringing in Chris Yates to represent them in the upcoming anti-trust lawsuit, the situation has gotten difficult for the teams. The legal battle is expected to stretch over a year, during which time NASCAR could revoke the team’s charters. Unless the team secures an injunction, they risk losing the right to compete while the case unfolds.

The uncertainty has raised concerns among 23XI Racing‘s employees about their jobs and wages. However, Denny Hamlin and his partner Michael Jordan have reassured their team, promising to shoulder any financial burden themselves. Speaking on Actions Detrimental, Hamlin made it clear that the owners will protect their staff from any fallout, emphasizing, “We will not let this affect our employees whatsoever.”

Now, as per the recent updates, there are dialogues from letters between 23XI and NASCAR that are making rounds outside the courtroom. And there’s finally a date for the first hearing of the NASCAR lawsuit case. Bob Pockrass took to X to inform the community.

However, considering these developments in the NASCAR lawsuit, as well as Hamlin’s confidence, do you think he will win at Roval?