Will this be another year where Denny Hamlin misses out on the title? For Denny Hamlin, the playoffs have been devastating. In the last two races, he lost all the lead he had in the playoffs and now is looking into the eyes of elimination. He is currently 13th on the playoff grid and Bristol will be his last shot at keeping himself in the game. Lucky for him his races are at Bristol, and he has had some great races there in the recent past.

This dry spell is not only bothering Denny Hamlin, but his team and crew chief are not happy about being so close to elimination. Not getting into the top 12 would be hard for Hamlin, especially considering the fact that in the last 5 years, he has not finished the season any worse than 5th. So recently, Chris Gabehart came forward to talk about the upcoming race that could potentially keep Hamlin in contention for the win.

Chris Gabehart’s take on the Bristol playoffs race

Denny Hamlin won the race at Bristol earlier this year, but unfortunately, he was stripped of the points that he scored in that race. It all happened due to a fault on Toyota Racing Development’s end, as they took the race-winning car’s engine apart before NASCAR could inspect it. Making Bristol even more favorable is the fact that Hamlin won at the same track last year during the playoffs too.

Winning at Bristol again would make it a hat-trick for him and it will not only be that, but it will also push him into the top 12. In a recent interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Chris Gabehart shared his thoughts heading into the race. Speaking of the Bristol night race, Gabehart said, “It really is at the core of what our sport’s all about. In my view, there are just a few—less than a handful—of races that are more important than the season. And in my view, the Bristol night race is right up there with them.”

Gabehart revealed that the team enjoys this race so much that the pressure of scoring points fades away. He then came clean, saying, “I know this sounds silly, and I certainly want to move on, but for me, I want to win at Bristol. I mean, it’s my favorite track, and I’ve been fortunate to win it twice with Denny.” Acknowledging the fact that Bristol has been good for him, he now wants to win the night race.

However, winning at Bristol is not an easy task because of how much focus it takes to concentrate on the half-mile track. The small track becomes a breeding ground for accidents and according to GabeHart, anyone in the lead can see an unfortunate end if they crash. Giving the fans what they want, Gabehart ended by saying, “But you know, it’s going to be all offense for the 11.” It was not only Chris Gabehart to say that, so let’s see what Denny Hamlin said about the upcoming race.

What Denny Hamlin has to say about the Bristol Night Race

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The pressure is all on Denny Hamlin now. It has been 20 years that he has been racing in the Cup Series, and while being a front-runner, he never won a title. He has been dedicated to the No. 11 team and believes that they will be able to help achieve this dream. At the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Hamlin will be giving his all.

He spoke to the media before the race to say, as he echoed Chris Gabehart’s sentiments, “I’m going to be on the offense starting right away, and then so I’m going to be finding the result either way. I just know, over 500 laps here, things will work themselves out, and we’ll have our shot to win.” It’s going to be one of the most interesting races this season, as Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, and Harrison Burton are up for elimination, and fans would like to see who stays in and who gets out of the playoffs.

Do you think that Denny Hamlin has a chance into the top 12 this year? Let us know what you think in the comments below.