Denny Hamlin is one of the oldest drivers on the Cup Series field. At 43, there are no signs of him slowing down or his attempts at being a champion taking a back step. He still desires the title as hungrily as he did when he was a newbie 20 years back. The hardiness of his caliber and ambition is reflected by the racing dominance he displays over his younger counterparts.
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Hamlin has surpassed Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott in the number of top-5 finishes secured in the 2020s. He has 69 finishes while Larson and Elliott have 58 and 56, respectively. He peaked in 2021 with 19 top-5 finishes and 25 top-10 finishes. In 2024, he is currently in the fight for the regular season championship having brought in eight top-5 finishes so far.
Most top 5 finishes by decade
2020s: Denny Hamlin – 69
2010s: Kevin Harvick – 145
2000s: Jeff Gordon – 145
1990s: Mark Martin – 151
1980s: Darrell Waltrip – 158
1970s: Richard Petty – 221
1960s: Richard Petty – 263
1950s: Lee Petty – 206 pic.twitter.com/s4kmYn1mZb— Trey Ryan (@TreyRyan99) July 26, 2024
Despite edging past stars like Larson and Elliott in this category, he has failed to be successful in winning a championship. His fate is in a lot of ways similar to that of the yesteryear legend Mark Martin. Driving for Roush Racing throughout the 1990s, Martin secured 151 top-5 finishes. Not even Dale Earnhardt Sr. or Bill Elliott were able to get over him.
But he was never able to win a championship despite all the skill behind the wheel. If Hamlin doesn’t make use of his opportunities, he could end up being the next Mark Martin. With teammate Martin Truex Jr., who is a year older than him, set to retire at the end of the ongoing season, the question of retirement will soon latch on to Hamlin’s back like an unyielding hook.
Hamlin’s chances of winning the Cup Series title in 2024
Driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE, Hamlin has secured three wins this season. Though he kicked the year off strongly the past few weeks haven’t been kind to him. He has just one top-10 finish in the last seven races but has two DNFs in the same string. Four more races remain in the regular season and he is actively on the hunt for the regular season championship.
His next race will be at Richmond when the two-week Olympic break is over. He won at the track earlier this year and will hope to complete a sweep at the venue. He sits fourth on the points table, 43 points behind leader Kyle Larson. The Joe Gibbs Racing star will need to overturn his recent momentum and start winning races again to have a shot at the title.
