It has been a saga of heartbreaks for Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Cup Series, as he once again came painfully close to securing a Top 4 spot but fell just short. Known for his skill, speed, and tenacity, Hamlin has consistently performed well throughout each season, yet somehow a spot in the Championship 4 has eluded him since 2021. The 2024 season was no exception. After an impressive year with three wins and 12 top-5 finishes, fans cheered Hamlin on as he made a strong push for the title.

Alas, he fell short once again. After a disappointing start to the playoffs with finishes outside the top 20 at Atlanta and Watkins Glen, hope was lost in the 43-year-old. However, his next 6 races saw him get five top-10 finishes, which kept his championship hopes alive at Martinsville. Despite the crushing loss at Homestead while leading with two laps to go and a qualification that saw him start at the back of the grid at Martinsville, Hamlin didn’t lose hope. He swerved his way from 37th to P5 by the end, but it was not enough, as only a win would suffice.

NASCAR legends like Mark Martin had higher expectations for Hamlin and his renowned crew chief, Chris Gabehart, but showered huge praise on the duo after a courageous performance.

Mark Martin Draws Hyde and Richmond Reference 

Some duos are made in heaven and when put together, it seems as though success ought to be achieved. One such duo in the field of racing was none other than Harry Hyde and Tim Richmond. Hyde had a reputation of building drivers from scratch, and this is exactly why team Hendrick paired him up with Richmond. Although Hyde was not very happy with this decision, he played a very important role in Richmond’s career. After achieving victory for the very first time together at Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway in 1987 they never looked back.

Recently, NASCAR veteran Mark Martin compared the Hamlin -Gabehart duo to the iconic Hyde and Richmond, which is indeed a kind compliment. Martin expected that Denny Hamlin would be able to put up an impressive performance at Martinsville and drive right from the back to the lead. He also pointed out how the able guidance of Gabehart had been the crucial help that Hamlin needed throughout. Martin took to his social media account and posted, “CG1751 has been a master at getting the best out of @dennyhamlin It reminds me of Harry Hyde and Tim Richmond. It would be a hell of a show if Denny drives from the back of the field to the win today and gets a shot at the @NASCAR Championship”. This acknowledgment is indeed a big thing coming from someone like Mark Martin. 

Denny Hamlin, on the contrary, was able to put up a good fight, and yet it seemed as though the speed was just not enough for him to snatch a victory. Denny Hamlin finished at Martinsville in the 5th position bidding farewell to the 2024 Cup Series Trophy yet once again. However, despite this inability to make it to the top 4, the comment by Mark Martin stood out for Hamlin crew chief Gabehart. Mark Martin and his history in in the field of stock car racing is indeed par excellence. When the legend himself acknowledges the efforts, surely it holds great value for everyone. Reacting to the tweet, he said, “Came up short, but…. @markmartin just made a fan boy of me, and that’s hard to do”.

Although the duo could not fulfill Mark Martin’s expectations, it seemed as though the comment itself made Gabehart’s day. However, Mark Martin had more than just nice things to say about the race at Martinsville.

Mark Martin Opens Up About Unethical Strategies on Martinsville 

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 Mark Martin was utterly disappointed at what took place at the Martinsville Speedway on Sunday’s final playoff race. In the final laps of the race it looked like William Byron was almost escorted by fellow Chevy drivers – Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon to the finish line. Although the No. 24 Camaro was considerably slow, neither Chastain nor Dillon overtook him and raced by his side and behind him. This came as a well-thought-out decision as overtaking Byron would lead to their Chevrolet peer crashing out of the Championship 4 with Toyota’s Christopher Bell taking his place.

Reacting to this move on the Martinsville Speedway, Mark Martin mentioned, “We have a sh-t show here”. This wasn’t the first time that the NASCAR veteran had spoken out against the immoral practices that drivers have been adopting on the track. He recently also spoke about how Christian Eckes at the Truck Series race adopted a “must win” strategy which involved wrecking Taylor Gray out of the way to secure the win and also knock Gray out of the Championship 4. For personalities like Mark Martin who are always used to the most strategic form of racing, these incidents tarnish the legacy of motorsport.