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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 08: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, Erik Jones, driver of the #20 STANLEY Wish For Our Heros Toyota, Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, and Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #19 AOI Toyota, pose for a photo with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy to start the playoffs following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 08, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 08: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, Erik Jones, driver of the #20 STANLEY Wish For Our Heros Toyota, Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, and Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #19 AOI Toyota, pose for a photo with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy to start the playoffs following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 08, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series is almost here, and the hype is building up. This year, the Joe Gibbs Racing team is aiming to go in all guns blazing. For that to happen, the team needs all 4 of its drivers to deliver peak performance.
For Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin in particular, the new season is all the more important. Last year was a season of contrasting fortunes for Busch and Hamlin.
As the defending champion, Kyle Busch could not put up a decent fight and got eliminated early in the playoff battle. To make matters worse for him, he failed to reach Victory Lane at every race except for the Texas Motor Speedway.
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Meanwhile, Hamlin enjoyed one of his best seasons and wound up in the Championship 4. Even better for the #11 driver, he almost matched Stewart-Haas driver Kevin Harvick in the win counter.
In the end, Denny Hamlin could only muster 4th place. However, he will definitely be fired up for the new season.
Kyle Busch vs Denny Hamlin: The battle begins
The 2021 Cup Series season is a chance for redemption for both drivers. Obviously, Kyle Busch wants to bounce back from his disappointing 2020 campaign.
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Meanwhile, Hamlin simply has to regroup and try again for his maiden Cup Series title. The 40-year-old has been at it for a long time.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 17: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, poses with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Admittedly, both drivers are approaching the twilight of their careers. Busch is already 36-years-old, and he is not getting any younger.
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Despite the age factor, they are still relatively in their prime and are capable of challenging for Cup titles. Truthfully, it could be difficult to choose between either driver.
However, the edge probably goes to Hamlin, since the momentum would probably be with him. Now, whether he can translate that into a maiden Cup Series title is another mystery. Meanwhile, a question also remains, whether Kyle Busch can make up for his disappointing 2020 campaign.
