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Kyle Petty gives searing hot take on Denny Hamlin: ‘Mark my words’
Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin — 44 years old and in year 19 of NASCAR Cup Series competition — might be at his peak in the present moment. Hamlin proved it in Sunday’s race at Dover Motor Speedway, fending off three of the sport’s most talented drivers in Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe in the closing laps.

Hamlin didn’t have the tire advantage on his competitors and looked to be a sitting duck as the race went into overtime. But Hamlin, one of the best of his generation, put on a “Hall of Fame performance,” Kyle Petty said Monday. With 58 career wins, Hamlin is on the cusp of becoming just the 11th driver to tally 60 Cup victories.

“He’s chasing 60. He’s chasing history, and we’re seeing a different Denny Hamlin right now,” Petty said. “When we put Denny Hamlin in the Hall of Fame and mark my words, he’s going in the Hall of Fame — Championship or not — when we put him in the Hall of Fame, this should be the video: these last five or six laps of how he made something happen when there was no hope, no way he should have won this race. He comes home with the trophy, No. 58.”

You could say Hamlin stole this one at Dover. Chase Elliott led the most laps from the pole — 238 to be exact. For a time, Bell might have had the best car, leading 67 laps and challenging Hamlin for the lead late before spinning on Lap 393.

Denny Hamlin holds off JGR teammate Chase Briscoe to win at Dover

Even as the race would go to double overtime, Hamlin would not be deterred. He beat out Briscoe, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, to win his series-leading fourth race of the season. Petty was highly impressed with Hamlin’s performance in Stage 3.

“Denny Hamlin, that was a Hall of Fame performance,” Petty said. “If we go back to the last 25 or 30 laps of the race, he drove a great segment of the race right there with Christopher Bell behind him. Wherever Christopher went, Denny was already there. … Then we get a caution, [and] Denny puts Christopher in a bad situation. Denny forced an error from Christopher, [who] takes himself out of the race. Now we have a rematch versus Kyle Larson. All we heard from the announcers is ‘Kyle Larson’s the fastest car on the racetrack. Denny’s a sitting duck. We know it’s going to be over with. Kyle Larson is going to win this race.’

“Denny Hamlin gets a restart — thanks to Chase Briscoe who pushes him out in front — Kyle Larson falls by the wayside. Another caution, now it comes down to Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe. Chase Briscoe on newer tires, needing a win, wanting a win. Denny Hamlin, the sly fox, the veteran, on older tires, driving with his head and making something happen, doesn’t let it happen. He takes Briscoe, he pins him down, he forces him into a place where he can’t make the pass. Denny Hamlin wins with a lesser car with old tires, and he wins his 58th race.”

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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