Denny Hamlin’s latest attempt to win an elusive first NASCAR Cup Series title could end at Martinsville on Sunday.
The 45-year-old trails championship leader Kyle Larson by 73 points with two races remaining and could be eliminated before the season finale if Larson outscores him by three or more. It leaves Hamlin needing a major turnaround at a circuit where he has enjoyed some of the best results of his career.
Hamlin finished eighth at Talladega last weekend and actually climbed from fourth to second in the standings, but Larson’s victory turned what had been a 31-point gap into a commanding championship advantage.
Martinsville record gives Hamlin hope
Martinsville is at least familiar territory for Hamlin, who was born in Virginia and has won six Cup races at the half-mile short track. He came close to making that seven earlier this season, starting from pole and leading 292 of 400 laps before finishing second. Hamlin also won both stages, underlining the pace of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at one of his strongest circuits.
A similar performance could keep his championship challenge alive, although Hamlin also needs Larson to surrender a significant number of points. Hamlin must outscore him by 74 across the final two races to overturn the deficit.
Leaving Martinsville within 22 points of Larson would at least put the championship back into Hamlin’s own hands for the Homestead finale. Anything considerably worse could bring another title challenge to an early end.
That would add another chapter to one of NASCAR’s most notable championship droughts. Hamlin has won 64 Cup races since making his debut in 2005, including three Daytona 500s, three Southern 500s and the Coca-Cola 600, but the championship has remained beyond him.
He finished runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in 2010 and was second again last season. Hamlin entered this year’s Chase as the number one seed after another strong regular season, only for his advantage to gradually disappear during the championship rounds.
Larson is now firmly in control and can secure his third Cup Series title at Martinsville by scoring 59 points regardless of what his rivals achieve. Hamlin’s task is considerably more difficult, with victory potentially not enough unless Larson also runs into trouble.
Martinsville has rescued Hamlin’s championship hopes before, and his record there offers reason for optimism. This time, however, anything short of another big performance could leave NASCAR’s most successful active driver without a Cup title, facing another year of waiting.
Source: NASCAR
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