Denny Hamlin still happy with season despite coming up short of NASCAR Cup Series title again

Earlier in the weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Denny Hamlin said his 2025 loss of the NASCAR Cup Series title was more of a sudden death, while losing the championship in 2026 had been more of a slow bleed. 

Hamlin was still mathematically alive in the title hunt when the green flag flew at Homestead on Sunday, but sitting third in the standings and 70 points back of leader Kyle Larson, he needed a max points day and a catastrophic afternoon from Larson. He got neither one. 

Larson clinched the championship after just 78 laps, while Hamlin was in contention to win all afternoon and looked to be in prime position to earn his fifth win of the season. He dominated the first half of Stage 3 before ceding the lead to William Byron after the first round of pit stops. 

Hamlin was on the front row for the final restart but didn't get a good launch. While he clawed his way back into contention, an elongated instance of contact with the outside wall saw him fall back to sixth by race's end. 

Hamlin won Stage 2 and led a race-high 87 laps on Sunday.

Denny Hamlin debriefs Homestead

"Really proud of the whole Progressive Toyota team," Hamlin told NBC. "Made lots of gains from Friday to the race tonight. Really happy with the effort we put forth on the racetrack today. Going for it at the end cost us a few spots. Got into the wall. Definitely wanted to try to win."

Hamlin finished third in the final standings, 56 back of the champion in Larson and seven points behind his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Christopher Bell, for second. 

"We had a great year," Hamlin said. "Every way you can measure the year, it's been really, really good. Congrats to the 5 team. They deserve the spoils of victory. They performed absolutely incredibly during these last 10 races. We are extremely happy with the 36 races we put together."

Hamlin had more top 10s (24) than any other driver in the series this season and tied with Bell for the most top fives (16). He trailed only Larson in laps led, leading 1,120 on the season and being one of only three drivers to be out front for more than 1,000 circuits.