“This is the time to put away the past and go all offense,” Denny Hamlin declared after last Saturday’s race. The No. 11 Toyota driver’s playoff story walked on eggshells going into Bristol, as Hamlin finished 24th and 23rd in Atlanta and Watkins Glen. Although nobody suspected a poor run out of Hamlin’s dominant ‘house’ run, he and his team executed exactly when the time was crucial.

And Kyle Petty believes that is what a prospective NASCAR Cup Series champion needs—the ability to act on the need of the hour. While his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates faded away in the elimination round, Hamlin prevailed. Although he could not repeat Spring’s glory, his objective was achieved.

Denny Hamlin projected as a solid threat

The No. 11 team was thoroughly focused at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. After a double streak of bad runs, Denny Hamlin found himself on the razor’s edge, 6 points outside the playoff cutline. However, he jumped from there to plus-15 with utmost determination—being the only driver to climb out of a pre-race deficit in the playoff picture. He finished sixth and third in the two stages, pocketing 13 points and concentrating hard on his game. “I got to the top three or so – at that time, I told Chris, do not talk to me about points, just let me race,” he said on his podcast.

This tireless determination to turn around a bleak fortune impressed NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty. He put the spotlight on Hamlin’s performance: “Denny fre-king Hamlin. That’s what it was all about. I said it in pre-race. He called his shot in 2012 in New Hampshire…called his shot earlier this year in Dover. He didn’t call this shot but he had to make this shot. They had to make something happen after the first two poor performances in this round…And he did what he needed to do.” 

Petty was also bold enough to declare that the 19th year might be Denny Hamlin‘s time to break the long and drab championship-less run. “Denny’s in that championship mode, in that championship chase, in that championship mindset – probably more than I’ve seen him ever. We talk about it every year but he’s in an attack mode now. There’s only a few races left, but I think this is a guy that’s dangerous. He has caught his second win. He sees the future, he sees Phoenix, and he can get there.”

However, another NASCAR Cup veteran espouses a different belief, although his statement came before Hamlin secured his top-five Bristol finish.

Hamlin’s history does not paint a bright picture

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Although Kyle Petty is confident about the 2024 stint, Denny Hamlin has messed up playoff runs when it mattered the most. In 2010, he lost a 33-point lead over Jimmie Johnson going into the final two playoff races. Then, with 100 laps to go in the 2019 title race, his car overheated, and he ended up finishing 10th. Hendrick Motorsports stars beat him in the Championship 4 round in both 2020 and 2021—which is threatening to be a possibility this year. And in 2022, Ross Chastain’s iconic ‘Hail Melon’ move shoved him out of the final four yet again.

So retired Cup racer Kevin Harvick is not particularly confident about Hamlin’s chances. He himself beat Denny Hamlin to the 2014 championship with barely 8 laps to go. Harvick said prior to the Bristol race that Hamlin always snaps his momentum in the playoffs. “The thing about Denny has always seemed that he’s handled [pressure well]. He’s got a lot of things that he can handle well off the racetrack. And still get in the car and perform. But he’s never gotten to the point of being able to handle it well and win a championship.” He also expected Hamlin’s strong Bristol run but still had his doubts. “I expect them to go to Bristol and to be able to perform. But you gotta put the whole thing together.”

With multifarious opinions on Denny Hamlin’s chances, the veteran driver is getting a lot of spotlight. Let us wait and see if he can finally win that coveted championship title.