Mark Martin is often described as the “greatest driver never to win the championship.” Although it’s rare to see a NASCAR driver being celebrated for not winning the championship, Martin’s impact on the sport was bigger than just a title triumph. This is why he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2017 to commemorate his racing journey.

However, Martin isn’t alone on this list, as Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has a somewhat similar racing trajectory. And this ignited a healthy discussion among the racing community on who they think is the best driver between the two without championship wins. Given how decorated the two drivers are, it is indeed tough to edge one out in front. And this is where their racing achievements and statistics come into play.

Denny Hamlin or Mark Martin, who is the greatest driver to not win the championship?

Let us start with Mark Martin first. The former Roush Racing driver came oh so close to winning the NASCAR championship. He finished runner-up five times in his illustrious racing career, but lady luck didn’t seem to favor him. In 1990, he was 26 points shy of conquering NASCAR’s highest peak, but Dale Earnhardt beat him to it.

With the change of guard and new drivers coming into the sport, he stood the test of time, but once again in 1998, he settled for a second-place finish. Jeff Gordon from Hendrick Motorsports was the one who spoiled Martin’s title hopes. In 882 starts in the premier division, Martin registered 40 wins along with 61 runner-up finishes. We might have missed a few fine details, but these achievements depict just how good Mark Martin was in his era.

Well, Denny Hamlin isn’t far behind when you talk about the sheer number and milestones in NASCAR racing. When compared to wins, he does edge out Martin with 54 trophies to his name. 2010 was the closest he came to winning the championship, where he spun at Homestead and gave up his points lead. This allowed Jimmie Johnson to snag his fifth straight championship win. Hamlin had eight race wins that year but just wasn’t able to cross the finish line.

In 2014, a strategy call derailed his title run despite a solid run and battle with Kevin Harvick. But, once again, he came short and allowed Harvick to script a historic win with his crew chief, Rodney Childers. 2019 was a similar story where the infamous Toyota Camry would give up on him in the championship race. It seems like if there’s one driver who is mired by bad luck in a clutch situation, it’s Denny Hamlin. While he’s not reached the final 4 in the Next Gen era, he still has a couple of good years of racing left in him.

While both drivers had near misses with the Cup Series championships, Martin laid out a verdict for who the greatest driver to not win the championship is. Appearing on an episode of the Rubin is Racing podcast, Martin favored Hamlin over himself. This was based on the three crown jewel victories. Martin elaborated, “I just hate for him to have to endure all that. He ain’t got no Cup, you know. That’s just so ridiculous. The dude’s got what 55 wins or something like that three Daytona 500; he’s won everything. He is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time, and whether or not he wins the championship doesn’t, you know, change the fact that he has done amazing things.” 

So you see, both Martin and Hamlin shared a sort of similar journey. But the big difference here is the different era of racing, and this has left NASCAR fans divided on who they think is a better driver.

Here’s what the fans had to say about the Denny Hamlin vs Mark Martin debate

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One of the big differentiators between the two drivers is the crown jewel victories, which tilt in favor of Hamlin. The veteran JGR driver has three Daytona 500s, three Southern 500s, and a win each at the Coca-Cola 600 and the Brickyard 400. He has won the iconic event on the NASCAR schedule. In comparison, Martin falls short on their parameter, and this was highlighted by a race fan, “Hamlin definitely has the edge in crown jewel wins.” 

Making a case for Martin, another one chimed in, stating that the former Roush Racing driver had multiple opportunities where he came within touching distance to win the elusive trophy. However, he was unlucky to be competing in an era where the likes of Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon dominated the sport. “Def martin. Multiple above the back-championship seasons. Only one hiccup, Sr and Gordon.” 

Meanwhile, a race fan wasn’t sold on this comparison, as Martin did have a long racing career. Although Hamlin is catching up with over 600 races under his belt, it is hard to predict if he’ll be able to continue to operate at the top level. For context, he hasn’t made the championship 4 in the last three years. “Mark Martin also has about 200 more starts than Hamilin. With that being said, like you, I don’t have an answer either. 2 all time greats who are both deserving champions.”

This conversation wouldn’t be complete without the mention of Junior Johnson. A legendary driver who is said to be the best short-track racer ever had 50 wins to his name in over 300 races. Therefore, trying to make a case for all three drivers, a fan made an interesting assessment in this debate.

“The greatest driver without a championship is Junior Johnson.
The winningest driver without a championship is Denny Hamlin.
The driver who got closest the most and deserves a championship the most is Mark Martin.”

On the other hand, a few optimistic Denny Hamlin were convinced he would eclipse Mark Martin once he was done with his career in NASCAR. Now, a championship win would certainly place him in a different conversation altogether, and this is something his fans would gladly accept. “I’m not sure if Hamlin has dethroned Martin yet, but he will.”

Who would you pick as the greatest driver to not win a NASCAR championship? Is it Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, or Junior Johnson?