In the final laps of the 2024 Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami, Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin battled for the win. Hamlin led until Reddick made a bold, high-speed move in Turn 3, sling-shotting past him on the last lap to secure his spot in the Championship 4. For Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing, it was a bittersweet moment, watching his own driver clinch the victory he’d been chasing himself.

As team owner, Hamlin was glad to see Reddick’s success but couldn’t ignore that his own championship hopes were slipping away. Harvick noted this internal tug-of-war, suggesting Hamlin’s pride for Reddick would grow with time. With Martinsville up next and competitors like Blaney, Larson, and Byron in strong form, the stakes are only rising. Looking at the situation, Kevin Harvick couldn’t help but point out the position Hamlin is in with his driver winning the race over him.

What Kevin Harvick thinks of Denny Hamlin’s position after the playoffs Homestead race

Kevin Harvick couldn’t help but feel for Denny Hamlin after the Homestead race. Hamlin was in the mix, giving it everything, only to watch Tyler Reddick—a driver from his own 23XI Racing team—take the win and secure a playoff spot. The whole situation had Harvick wondering how Hamlin felt about it all.

“I thought, yeah, I went back and listened to some of his post-race interviews,” Harvick shared on the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. “And he was, you know, I think he knows that they’re slipping away.” It was clear Hamlin had come to a tough realization. Each missed opportunity meant his shot at the championship was fading.

“For him—and he said it—there’s just no good emotions yet about anything that happened with Tyler Reddick,” Kevin Harvick noted. He could see the drive and focus Hamlin had in the race and how he wasn’t quite at the point of celebrating his teammate’s success. “He just hasn’t gotten to the point of being happy for Tyler yet. He will get to that during the week, I’m sure, to be able to be happy for his team and his driver.”

Harvick admitted that

Denny Hamlin’s performance surprised him. “They did run better than I thought they would,” he admitted. “I think he had a real shot to go out and win the race, so he did exceed my expectations from a performance standpoint. I still think they’ll be tough,” Harvick added, already looking ahead to Martinsville. “They’ll be tough at Martinsville. But so will Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney. Yes, Elliot. It’s going to be such a good race—it’s going to be fantastic.” 

TALLADEGA, AL – OCTOBER 06: Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx One Rate Toyota looks on prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series YellaWood 500 on October 06, 2024, at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega AL. Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: OCT 06 NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2410061102 

Harvick praised Hamlin’s team for pulling off strong pit stops, smart race strategy, and Hamlin himself for a great drive. But in the end, the race came down to a short-run finish—a scenario that didn’t favor Hamlin’s car.

Denny Hamlin opens up about his Homestead race

Denny Hamlin had nothing but praise for the action at this year’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, he called the race “fantastic” and a true showcase of “NASCAR racing 101.” Homestead-Miami Speedway, with its perfect blend of high-speed runs, side-by-side battles, and big slide jobs, created the kind of competitive environment that he thinks NASCAR fans love.

Hamlin explained how the track geometry adds to the thrill, especially with the high line giving up speed on entry but allowing for a major gain on exit. Even though Hamlin didn’t win—finishing third while his 23XI Racing driver, Tyler Reddick, took the checkered flag—he left feeling it was a race to remember. Reflecting on his performance, he explained how his setup was built for the long run, which worked well until those final short laps.

“I try to cover all lanes but just couldn’t quite get off the corner as good as I needed to,” Hamlin said. He gave credit to his crew chief, Chris Gabehart, for setting up the car to make a strong run, though he admitted that short-run speed wasn’t their strength that day. In the end, he missed the win but saw his driver clinch a Championship 4 spot, a moment that highlighted just how intense and strategic Homestead racing can be.

With that said, do you think that Denny Hamlin will be able to make it into the finals and fight for the title this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.