Denny Hamlin: ‘I feel pretty strong about our chances’ to win NASCAR Cup Series this year

Denny Hamlin is oozing confidence at the moment, as it pertains to his chance to capture his first NASCAR Cup Series title in 2024.

It’s the one thing missing from Hamlin’s incredible resume, and he hasn’t been shy about yearning for a championship. Earlier this season, Hamlin told FOX’s Clint Bowyer on NASCAR RaceDay that this would be his year. Now, FOX’s Bob Pockrass is asking Hamlin if he still feels the same.

Evidently, his confidence has only grown, as Hamlin told Pockrass about how strong he feels about his chances to add to his trophy cabinet when the time comes in November.

“I feel pretty strong about our chances, for sure,” Hamlin told Pockrass. “Certainly, it is a little different when you get put under the gun like that, for sure. But you know, until I feel differently, then I’ll let you know.”

Throughout the season, Hamlin has been dominant, especially at the tracks you need to be to win the NASCAR title. He won the pole at Phoenix, and was racing for the win up until he spun himself out. However, he learned some valuable lessons, and he’ll use them if he can get to the Championship 4, like he’s expecting.

Until then, Denny Hamlin will look to continue to rack up victories. This weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 is another opportunity to get the job done, as Hamlin’s won the race in the past, so the No. 11 wheelman will be hoping for his fourth win of the season on Sunday evening.

Denny Hamlin picks a side in Kyle Busch-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fight

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin broke down what led to the fight between Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. following the All-Star Race over the weekend.

While Hamlin admitted it’s a difficult position he found himself in, as he doesn’t like to have to pick sides, the No. 11 wheelman elaborated on how it all went down during the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast. 

“This is difficult. This is one of those difficult positions that I find myself in. Because I try not to pick sides, but I’ll call it how I see it,” Hamlin started. “Let’s go back to the on-track stuff. I see both sides, however, my driving style supports a little more of Kyle’s side, because I believe that there are times where Ricky finds himself in these situations, because he puts himself in these situations. It is Lap 1. Did he shove through the middle of us? Yes. Did I have a problem with it? I did not. It is the All-Star Race. We just talked about it earlier. The drivers, you kind of understand that there’s a little bit more aggressiveness going on in this type of race. So I see Kyle’s side of it, ‘Dude, you shoved middle on a short-track on Lap 1. Like, where are you going?’ I see that part. I understand. 

“However, the counter to that is that I see Ricky’s side saying, ‘Dude, I never touched you until you hit the wall.’ Now, I think contact was inevitable, because there wasn’t enough room for Kyle, no matter what. Ricky did put him in a position where Kyle was going to have to lift, and if he did not lift, the contact was going to happen. Kyle didn’t lift, or he tried to lift, but it was too late. The No. 47 was already coming up. I knew we were three-wide. I left plenty of room on the bottom. I am no part of this drama whatsoever, I’ve got no part in it. … The contact was inevitable, because there was not enough room left for Kyle on the high-side of the race track. … “I just think it was a little bit overboard, considering all the variables that have happened, but I do think there’s a little bit of pent-up frustration on Kyle’s part.”

While Hamlin relented that Stenhouse Jr.’s decision on Lap 1 was a little dense, he doesn’t believe it warranted the reaction from Busch that it received. Regardless, it’s likely not the last we’ve seen of Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s beef, as the anger between these two drivers is unlike anything we’ve seen in the last couple of seasons.