Since the beginning of his full-time career in the NASCAR Cup Series, Denny Hamlin has consistently finished in the top-10 in the final standings, barring the 2013 and 2018 seasons. He has cemented his status as one of the sport’s most consistent drivers. Despite this, his performance on superspeedways has waned in recent years.
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With the NASCAR calendar predominantly featuring intermediate tracks, the upcoming Daytona 500 — where Hamlin has claimed victory three times — presents another opportunity for him to triumph. However, reflecting on his record, Hamlin remarked, “They talk about my three wins, but I’ve ran here 40 times, I’m like 3 for 40.”
“And yet, they’re like, man, you’re so good at this track, I’m like. I’ve lost like 37 times. The stats don’t lie. It’s that Next Gen era — It’s been horrendous, the finish has been really really bad. In the Next Gen with fuel saving and all this stuff, that’s not my forte. And I’ve got to learn to be better at it,” he added.
Aware of the challenges and shortcomings that have marred his recent performances at not only the tri-oval but superspeedway-style tracks in general, Hamlin is committed to getting back to the form he exhibited during the sixth-generation Cup car era.
😂 "I've lost like 37 times."
Don't tell @dennyhamlin how good he is at @DAYTONA, because he's still learning how to race properly on superspeedways in the Gen 7 era.
🗣️ "I've gotta learn to be better at it." pic.twitter.com/B6PUiKxeYg
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) February 15, 2025
Reflecting on his abilities on NASCAR’s Superspeedways — Daytona and Talladega — Hamlin’s most recent top-5 finish (P3) came in October 2023 at Talladega, while his last top-5 at Daytona dates back to 2021.
During the final flourish of the Gen 6 car from 2016 to 2021, Hamlin grabbed the Daytona 500 crown three times and secured top-5 finishes in two additional races. However, the transition to the Next Gen car has seen a noticeable decline in his superspeedway form. Over the past three years, his peak at Daytona was a modest P17 in 2023 as he has struggled to crack into the top 15.
Hamlin’s recent starts on superspeedways have yielded just three top-10 finishes across twelve races, highlighting a challenging adaptation period. Contrastingly, his performance on intermediate tracks paints a more thriving picture, with him finishing outside the top 10 in only nine races since 2022.
For the upcoming 67th running of the Daytona 500, Hamlin will start the famed race from P8. With a new crew chief at the helm of the #11 team, all eyes will be on the Virginia native to see how this change might improve his fortunes. The shift could be the catalyst Hamlin needs to refine his approach and regain his performance in the Next Gen era at these high-speed tracks.
