Denny Hamlin, who is still on the hunt for his first Cup Championship, recently received a vote of confidence from Dale Jarrett. Jarrett, who captured his first championship at the age of 43, shared his insights into what Hamlin might be feeling.
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He suggested that while Hamlin would be thrilled to win the championship soon, he’s not obsessing over the trophy’s presence in his home. Jarrett expressed, “Certainly, a lot of people would look at it that maybe Denny might be in a desperation mode. I will assure you, he’s not that. You want it to happen…”
Jarrett delved deeper into why Hamlin might not be feeling the heat right now, explaining, “Denny is not sitting there thinking if I don’t get this done this year, then there’s not going to be another chance. My career is not going to be complete. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
He added, “He certainly is not going to drive until he is 51 like I did, but he does have a couple of more good years around him and can get it done.”
Jarrett noted that since Hamlin has frequently been a frontrunner in the Round of 8 and even the championship race without sealing the deal, this pattern might just be his winning strategy. He is consistently putting himself into that position to enter the championship 4 so that whenever he has the chance to clinch that win, he will be there to grab the opportunity.
Hamlin’s thought process about his championship drought in NASCAR resonates with Jarrett’s
The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver, with three victories out of 33 starts this season, has shown consistency on the track, securing top-5 finishes in roughly a third of this year’s races. He’s also captured four pole positions alongside 15 top-10s.
Reflecting on his NASCAR career and the elusive championship title, Hamlin stated in April, “I know that I’m a championship-caliber driver. I’ll just say it. I think there’s been worse drivers to win a championship than me. […]”
He further clarified his perspective on not yet having clinched a championship, saying that he cares about wins and winning every single week because, in the end, he would take 60-some wins and no championships over 20 wins and one title.
Further, his personal goal includes, “to get to a number that puts me well inside that top 10 of race winners. I think that will speak for itself and the resume.”
While it would indeed be a milestone to see Hamlin hoist the championship trophy, even without this accolade, NASCAR enthusiasts will undoubtedly regard him as one of the sport’s most steadfast and skilled competitors.
