Despite fifth-place run at Charlotte, Denny Hamlin loses more ground to Kyle Larson in NASCAR title hunt

Denny Hamlin's effort Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway was admirable. Despite an early penalty on pit road that put him back in the pack, Hamlin clawed his way back to the front of the field in the Bank of America 400, scoring eight stage points with a third-place finish in Stage 2 and finishing the race in fifth. 

But it was another good, not great effort from Hamlin and the No. 11 team on a day where points leader Kyle Larson, who finished sixth but won Stage 1 and earned 17 stage points. 

Larson totaled 49 points on the day to Hamlin's 40, and that's why Hamlin leaves Charlotte 49 points back of Larson for the points lead with four races left in the season. 

Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson diagnosis their days at Charlotte

"Just didn't have the long run speed that we needed," Hamlin told USA Network. "I thought the short run was okay. It was decent. I felt like we were a lot better when it was day time."

As the track cooled and the afternoon turned into the evening, the handling on Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota faded, which kept Hamlin out of contending for his fifth win of the year. 

"Wish we would've qualified," Hamlin told USA Network, referencing the rainout of practice and qualifying on Saturday. "Certainly [think] we could've got a little better pit selection there... we gotta pick up the performance. We gotta just execute better, be a little faster, all of the above. Ultimately, we're giving it all we got right now."

While Larson also had a solid afternoon, a win was on the table early until the No. 5 also saw its handling fade ever so slightly. Larson led a race-high 97 of 267 laps on Sunday, but didn't have the speed over the final run to make a push for the win. 

"I was not in a position of power," Larson told USA Network. "I was hanging on. Honestly, I thought I was going to manage that run well. I could see Denny kind of settle in, I was settling in to make my tires live. Got really, really loose on that run. 

"I was just hanging on the last 15, 18 laps. Happy to still come away with a sixth and extend the points lead. There was a couple other guys that kind of closed that gap a little bit. All in all, a good day. You want to be a little bit better."