Denny Hamlin reacts to Shane van Gisbergen points total, evaluates NASCAR playoff chances

Denny Hamlin believes Shane van Gisbergen is creating a path to make a deep run in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. On the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin talked about van Gisbergen’s playoff chances and the Watkins Glen race.

“22 playoff points. He’s making his path to the final eight,” Denny Hamlin said. “A lot easier than what we thought.” Hamlin then said van Gisbergen has to continue to do what he’s been doing to advance in the first round of the playoffs, despite not having a lot of success on the oval tracks.

“He’s been progressing and getting better on the ovals,” Hamlin said. “At the beginning of the year, he was definitely a last-place contender on the ovals, but he’s not that now. I think he’s putting himself in the low 20s to teens sometimes.”

Hamlin was then asked how far Shane van Gisbergen will go in the playoffs. “Does he make the round of eight? No,” Hamlin said. “That’s my decision, and I think it’s 49/51 percent. I went with the 51 percent. I think he very easily could, or he’s got to get unlucky at some point on these road courses.”

Shane van Gisbergen talks about trying to win the Roval

All four of SVG’s victories have come on road courses, including Watkins Glen. The first round does not feature a road course, but the second round does. That’s why Hamlin believes van Gisbergen could reach the round of eight if he continues to improve on the oval tracks and performs well at the road course, which will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

After the Watkins Glen race, van Gisbergen was asked about his chances of winning the Roval to earn his fifth consecutive road course victory. “I did that race last year in the Kaulig car, and it was a fast car, but we didn’t quite get it right in the race,” van Gisbergen said.

“It’s a funky, odd track but pretty cool challenge. I think it races well. That’s in the second round, I believe, so looking forward to that. I think we’ve got plenty of races before then, but that’ll be obviously a good one for us if we make it to the second round.”