NASCAR’s Unfavorable Cup Garage Chokehold a Boon for the #11, Claims Championship-Less Denny Hamlin

Every year, Denny Hamlin’s fans are convinced that this is going to be his year to win that first Cup Championship. However, despite his consistent performance, he always seems to falter mid-season or just before the finish line. But somehow this season feels different, according to Dale Earnhardt Jr. He’s noticed that Hamlin’s got an extra zip in his speed, and the #11 team has dialed in some performance tweaks that were missing last year. Hamlin himself seems to recognize this upgrade, hinting that maybe, just maybe, this could be his year.

Denny Hamlin recently opened up about how his team has stepped up their game this year

In a chat with Dale Earnhardt Jr, looking at his four wins this season [including the Clash at the Coliseum race], Denny Hamlin highlighted the leap in performance from his pit crew as a game-changer. “Yeah, I think the pit crew is the biggest jump in performance that we’ve had year every year if I had to equate it.”

He elaborated on the impact of this improvement: “I think that last few years, you know, to be frank every time I came down to Pit Road it was, we were going to lose most likely. And this year it’s, we’re maintaining or gaining and that is a huge factor in your performance and your result week in, week out. Because you know you take that one Pit Stop where I go from third to the lead, we’ll switch that.”

He continued, “And if this was the previous year, it would be third to sixth. You’re not going to hear from me the rest of the day just simply because of the track position meaning so much because the cars are so equal. So, I just think that that’s what we’ve hemmed up on the 11 team that that was our weakest link for a while. But it’s much better now and these guys are doing a great job.“

Furthermore, Denny Hamlin also dived into the strong bonds he’s built over the years with his team that may have played a big part in their performance. Specifically, he pointed out how his relationship with crew chief Chris Gabehart has grown stronger during their five-year partnership. They’ve been working together to build up a solid understanding of the Next Gen car, figuring out what works at certain tracks and what doesn’t.

Hamlin also touched on how the parity in the cars has changed the game. Now that teams can’t just whip up a superior car for the playoffs or mid-season, it boils down to nailing the setup and the driver’s skills to stay ahead of the competition. This level playing field makes it tough to fend off rivals.

And that is probably why, with such a strong team behind him, Hamlin isn’t too worried about potentially ending his NASCAR career without a championship. He seems to trust that his pit crew, crew chief, and the collective efforts of his team will keep him competitive.

JGR star is not worried about not having a championship before his retirement time kicks in

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Denny Hamlin just bagged his 54th win, and while he hasn’t won a championship yet, nobody can call him any less skilled than those who have. Hamlin, the top Cup racer without a title, shared at Dover that hitting 60 wins without a championship would still leave him more than satisfied as he retires.

According to a video by Cup Scene, he believes that stacking up wins matters more these days, saying, “Find one driver saying that championships are the same as they were 10 years ago, it’s just not. I care about wins and winning every single week because in the end I absolutely would take 60-some wins and no championship over 20 and one. It’s just not even close. It’s fun to be able to do it.”

And it’s an interesting point, considering some champs aren’t even among the top win leaders. Take Tony Stewart, who sits five wins short of Hamlin but has three Cup titles. So, does winning a championship really change the game for Hamlin? Sure, it’d be a nice bonus, but would it shift how NASCAR fans see him? He’s already one of the most reliable drivers out there—championship or not. What’s your take?