Dale Earnhardt Jr gives very honest take on Denny – Sports News
Dale Earnhardt Jr. prompt Denny Hamlin is a “couple more years” away from discovering his means onto the NASCAR Mount Rushmore.
The victory marked the 61st win of Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup Series profession and moved him previous Kevin Harvick and into the highest 10 on the all-time wins checklist. It was an spectacular displaying in Las Vegas for the 45-year-old, who overcame a pit street dashing penalty on the first stage break to storm to victory.
In the 2026 Cup Series season, Hamlin has steadily improved. He opened the marketing campaign with a Thirty first-place end, adopted by thirteenth, then tenth, then fifth, and most not too long ago the win. He is chasing that elusive Cup Series championship, which might full his legacy as one of the best drivers in NASCAR historical past.
Since 2019, Hamlin has gained 26 Cup races, and he’s carried out constantly within the Next-Gen car. He has been in a position to adapt to trendy racing late in his profession, and on his ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, Earnhardt Jr. shared his ideas on Hamlin’s legacy and his standing amongst all-time greats.
“I think he’s better than quite possibly a Cale Yarborough or some of these big names that he looked up to,” Earnhardt Jr. stated. “Couple more years, you might put him on the Mt. Rushmore. You might.
“I do believe talent-wise he ranks way higher than he wants to admit. He probably deep down inside believes that he ranks higher, but he’s just not going to say it. And so he says, ‘Well, you know, I’m not as good as some of them guys, but I work harder, and that’s how I do this.’”
Earnhardt Jr. additionally picked Hamlin for the 2026 Cup Series title, including: “Denny knows how to set himself up early in this system. Talking about the point system that we have this year, Denny knows he’s had to kind of climb out of a hole that he started put himself in early. I think this system will reward a driver like him that can be consistent and win periodically throughout the year.”
With his win in Las Vegas, Hamlin turned simply the fifth driver to win a Cup race in 20 totally different seasons, becoming a member of Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. Those 4 legends are extensively thought of half of NASCAR’s Mount Rushmore, and Hamlin acknowledged their greatness.
“Those guys were far more talented than I have ever thought about being. I just work really hard. I still to this day work really hard at my craft to try to continue to get better,” Hamlin stated.
Hamlin will look to put more factors on the board and return to Victory Lane because the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series continues with the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, March 22.
Stay forward of the sport with the newest developments within the sports activities world! Our web site is your final vacation spot for sports activities information, delivering complete updates, in-depth analyses, and knowledgeable insights into the fast-evolving realm of athletics. We convey you each day protection on all the pieces from breakthrough coaching techniques and rising group methods to main bulletins which can be setting the tempo within the sports activities industry.
Discover how these trends are redefining the aggressive panorama! Visit us frequently for partaking and informative content material by clicking right here. Our meticulously curated articles cowl game-changing ways, investment alternatives in sports activities, and key milestones in in the present day’s dynamic athletic enviornment.
