Despite Dominating in the Next Gen Car, Denny Hamlin Still Can’t Touch the Ultimate Trophy

The NASCAR Next Gen car has been in operation since 2022 and is now entering its third season. During that two-year tenure, several Cup Series drivers have been pretty successful. A recent statistic showed that four drivers are tied for the most top-three finishes. These driver are none other than Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson. All four of them have amassed 16 top-three finishes each.

For Hamlin, it is pretty significant because it proves that he is a strong driver. This is all despite the fact that he has still not won a Cup Series title. The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing star is not a bad driver, far from it. Unfortunately, he has not been able to go the distance and finally seal the deal. Last year, he could probably be cut some slack because he was struggling with an injury. However, when the 2024 season begins, can he overcome past failings?

What hampered Denny Hamlin in his quest for the 2023 Cup title?

Apparently, the driver picked up a shoulder injury earlier in his career, but it was a minor one. Unfortunately, he seemingly aggravated it at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and he only inflicted more damage as the season progressed. Now that he had some respite in the off season, Hamlin wasted no time in going under the knife to fix the niggling issue. As per reports, it is an arthroscopic surgery, and he underwent it a few days after the 2023 season ended.

READ MORE: NASCAR News: Denny Hamlin Will Participate in the Clash at the Coliseum as Positive Shoulder Injury Update Surfaces

Of course, the recovery period was going to be long, which meant that it was a race against time. It was cutting it very fine, but Denny Hamlin was confident that he could still compete at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Previously, it was assumed that he would be unable to make it in time for the Clash at the Coliseum. The good news is that he managed to shut down those rumours, and will be back in action very soon.

Is 2024 finally going to be Hamlin’s year of reckoning?

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Theoretically speaking, Denny Hamlin should be fighting fit for the upcoming NASCAR season. However, he is 43 years old, and only he can tell how long his body clock can run. On the other end of the spectrum, Hamlin is not racing like his career is in its twilight years. In fact, he is still as competitive as ever and is racking up a decent tally of race wins every year.

Naturally, his 2024 form is unknown because no one has put a wheel to tarmac just yet. Additionally, Toyota is debuting a brand new car, which promises to be much faster than its predecessor. If Hamlin can adapt to the new car and figure it out quicker than his teammates and fellow Toyota drivers, he might even be a favorite for the title.

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