Denny Hamlin advances to Round of 12 with clutch performance at Bristol

Yes, Hamlin had won the last two races at Bristol, but finishes of 24th and 23rd in the first two races of the playoffs had him six points below the cut line entering the Last Great Colosseum. 

For a driver who has found seemingly every way possible to lose a championship, a Round of 16 exit would've signified just another disappointing season with no Cup in sight. 

However, a clutch performance on Saturday — which saw him qualify eighth, finish sixth in Stage One, finish third in Stage Two and finish the race in fourth — was enough for Hamlin and the No. 11 team to advance to the Round of 12 by 15 points, a 21-point difference from green flag to the checkered. 

Hamlin's big day at Bristol wasn't necessarily a surprise — the half-mile high banks have usually been kind to the veteran driver — but Saturday's result bucks the trend of Hamlin and crew coming up short in big moments. 

Another good track for Hamlin in Kansas looms as the Round of 12 opener. With wild-card races at Talladega and the Charlotte Roval ending the round, Kansas should be a pivotal race for the entire playoff field. 

Hamlin will enter the Round of 12 sixth among the 12 drivers on the playoff grid, seven points above the cut line.