Denny Hamlin zeroes in on ‘solely NASCAR weak point’ – – Sports News
Denny Hamlin has highlighted a large flaw in his NASCAR performances because the Joe Gibbs Racing star nonetheless searches for his maiden Cup Series Championship. Hamlin, 45, got here within a handful of laps of profitable the Cup Series Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, final November.
However, a late warning pressured the Championship finale into additional time, with Hamlin being undercut by rival Kyle Larson on pit street earlier than the Hendrick Motorsports star completed forward of the No. 11 to win his second Cup Series title. Last yr was seen as Hamlin’s final shot at profitable a Championship earlier than his father’s anticipated passing, with dad Dennis terminally sick.
A month after the Phoenix Finale and Hamlin’s Championship heartbreak, the household suffered a devastating loss. Dennis handed away following an unintentional home fire in North Carolina. Hamlin mulled a potential retirement however determined to honor his contract with JGR in 2026, together with his deal set to run out on the finish of the 2027 season.
This season, Hamlin has again asserted himself as one of the frontrunners to win the Championship in NASCAR’s new postseason “Chase” format. Hamlin is second behind Tyler Reddick in the common season by 129 factors and has one win to his title.
The No. 11 additionally dominated NASCAR’s All-Star race at Dover earlier than suggesting he would give his $1 million prize money to his mother. However, Hamlin, who has been crucial of NASCAR rival Kyle Busch this yr, additionally hasn’t been shy to criticize himself.
Hamlin revealed that restarts have been his Achilles heel. “If you look back at the last six or seven races of last year and the first 12 or so this season, this has probably been the best 20-race stretch of my career from a competitive standpoint,” Hamlin mentioned. “Speed-wise, whenever we’re on an oval and turning left, we’ve been really fast.”
“The only weakness right now is my restarts. That’s something I need to improve because a lot of these races come down to late shootouts,” he added. Hamlin additionally admitted to struggling at Turns 1 and a pair of on restarts.
“I wasn’t great on restarts when I was up front,” he continued. “My restarts in the back were really good, but up front I just couldn’t quite get through Turns 1 and 2 with the speed that I needed.”
Hamlin eyes street enchancment
Hamlin is eyeing enchancment on NASCAR street programs. The JGR star posted strong outcomes at COTA and Watkins Glen. There are a few left to go in 2026, together with the Coronado Street Course.
However, over the previous few seasons, two-time Supercars champ Shane van Gisbergen has dominated street programs, together with just lately at Watkins Glen.
“I also want to keep getting better on road courses. I felt like we were solid at COTA and Watkins Glen. Right now, it feels like everything is coming together, and we’re happy with where we are.”
Stay forward of the sport with the most recent developments in the sports activities world! Our web site is your final vacation spot for sports activities information, delivering complete updates, in-depth analyses, and professional insights into the fast-evolving realm of athletics. We deliver you day by day protection on every little thing from breakthrough coaching techniques and rising staff methods to main bulletins which might be setting the tempo in the sports activities industry.
Discover how these trends are redefining the aggressive panorama! Visit us commonly for participating and informative content material by clicking right here. Our meticulously curated articles cowl recreation-altering techniques, investment alternatives in sports activities, and key milestones in right this moment’s dynamic athletic area.
