Denny Hamlin is on the brink of joining an elite group of NASCAR drivers: Fred Lorenzen, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, and Kurt Busch. What makes this group so special? Each of them has won three consecutive races at the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. Now, Hamlin is hoping to add his name to that prestigious list.
However, there’s a major twist in Hamlin’s quest for a Bristol hat trick. Unlike the other drivers who have pulled off this feat, Hamlin faces the added pressure of the Playoffs. He’s not just racing for a win — he’s racing to keep his championship hopes alive, as his shot at moving forward in the Playoffs is hanging by a thread. A three-peat at Bristol would be historic for Hamlin, but it’s also crucial for his survival in the competition.
Since the elimination format began in NASCAR, no driver has faced a situation quite like Hamlin’s. The last time a driver even had a shot at winning three straight at Bristol was Kyle Busch in 2018. Busch, who holds a record eight Bristol victories, had clinched back-to-back wins but was stopped from achieving the trifecta when his older brother Kurt won the race. Ironically, Kurt Busch is the last driver to accomplish three consecutive wins at Bristol, doing so in 2003. Now, more than 20 years later, Hamlin has a chance to replicate that achievement, but things are looking grim for him and his #11 team.
In recent weeks, Hamlin’s performance has been shaky, to say the least. A series of lackluster results, combined with bad luck, have put him in a precarious position. It all started when NASCAR slapped Hamlin with a hefty penalty for an engine inspection violation. This cost him 75 championship points and 10 playoff points. Worse, his win at the Bristol Spring Race was disqualified, erasing his automatic playoff eligibility. Then, at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, he suffered his fourth DNF (Did Not Finish) of the season, a tough blow at such a critical moment.
Despite managing to claw his way into the Playoffs as the sixth seed after a hard-fought top-10 finish in the Southern 500, Hamlin’s struggles continued. Heading into the Round of 12 cutoff race, he sits a mere six points below the cutline. He’s not alone in this high-pressure situation — Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., and Harrison Burton are also battling to secure their spots in the next round. Add in the potential spoilers, like Chris Buescher, who are eager to grab a win and disrupt the standings, and it becomes clear that this is one of the most intense moments in Hamlin’s career.
Hamlin’s recent poor results at the superspeedway in Atlanta and the road course at Watkins Glen have largely contributed to his current predicament. He finished 24th in Atlanta’s playoff opener and followed that with a crash-filled 23rd-place result at Watkins Glen. Both races saw Hamlin running some of the worst average positions of his career — 30.8 at Atlanta and 32.2 at Watkins Glen. To make matters worse, Hamlin hasn’t won a race since his dominating performance at Dover back in April, leaving him winless for the last 17 races.
In fact, things have gotten so desperate for Hamlin that he’s even jokingly considered putting his family dog up for adoption, claiming the dog has brought him bad luck during his championship run. While superstition might seem silly, it highlights just how frustrated and mentally drained Hamlin has become as the pressure mounts.
Despite all the setbacks, Hamlin still has a chance to rewrite the narrative. Next Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to the famed Bristol Motor Speedway, nestled in the Northern Tennessee mountains, for the 127th time. It’s a place where legends are made, and Hamlin has the opportunity to cement his legacy with a victory that could not only propel him to the next round of the Playoffs but also make him a part of racing history.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. If Hamlin can pull off a win at Bristol and complete the trifecta, it would be a historic achievement, one that would go down in NASCAR lore. But more importantly, it would keep his championship hopes alive and set the stage for an epic playoff run. On the other hand, if things go wrong, Hamlin could face a crushing early exit from the Playoffs, something that has never happened to him in the elimination era.
The road ahead for Hamlin is treacherous, but if there’s one thing NASCAR fans know, it’s that anything can happen at Bristol. Will Hamlin rise to the occasion and join the ranks of NASCAR greats with a Bristol hat trick? Or will his season come to a heartbreaking end on the high banks of the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”? All eyes will be on Hamlin as the drama unfolds next Sunday.
Denny Hamlin Aims for His First Bristol Hat Trick in Two Decades, but Can He Make It Through the Cut?
