The 2024 NASCAR playoffs are nearing its end with just two races to go, the next race at Martinsville being the drivers’ last chance to reach the Championship Four.
Two drivers have already confirmed their spot in the Championship Race at Phoenix with victories in the Round of Eight. Joey Logano secured his place by winning at Las Vegas.
Last time out at Homestead-Miami, Tyler Reddick passed NASCAR Playoffs rival Ryan Blaney on the final lap at turn three to grab his third Cup Series win of the season and a place alongside Logano in the final four. The ‘crazy’ move left Reddick feeling that his mind was tricking him as he claimed it should not have been possible for him to pass Blaney at the top lane.
With two spots up for grabs and one race remaining in the round at Martinsville, it is all to play for between the other six playoff drivers for a place in the Championship Four. One of those drivers fighting for one of those spots is Denny Hamlin, who has endured a challenging playoff campaign.
Kevin Harvick says Denny Hamlin is ‘running out of opportunities’ to reach the Championship Race at Phoenix
Hamlin has appeared in the playoffs in every season since 2014, winning 54 races across his career and reaching the Championship Race four times.
However, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is yet to win a Cup Series title, recording a best finish of second in 2010. In 2024, Hamlin has won three races this season and is looking to secure his fifth appearance in the Championship Four.
READ MORE: Ryan Blaney ‘not fired up’ for NASCAR playoffs final Round of 8 race at Martinsville
But so far in the playoffs, Hamlin has only registered two finishes inside the top five; his best result coming at Homestead-Miami with third. Hamlin has said there are ‘no exceptions’ for bad performance in the playoffs as he looks to keep his season alive.
While Hamlin did not secure victory at Homestead-Miami, 23XI Racing – the team he owns alongside Michael Jordon – did with Reddick at the wheel. Speaking on his Happy Hour Podcast, Kevin Harvick explained why Hamlin had ‘no good emotions’ yet for the No. 45 driver as he worries about his own playoff campaign.
“I went back and listened to some of his post-race interviews and he was, you know, I think he knows that they’re slipping away,” he said,
“I think for him, and he said it, there’s no good emotions yet about anything that happened with Tyler Reddick, which shows me the determination that he had from the driver’s seat and he just hadn’t got to the point of being happy for Tyler yet.
“He will get to that during the week I’m sure, to be able to be happy for his team and his driver. But he knows now that the task is getting tougher and he’s running out of opportunities.”
Can Denny Hamlin get into the Championship Four?
Heading into Martinsville, Hamlin is fifth in the standings and is 18 points adrift from the cut-off line held by William Byron in second, with Reddick and Logano already qualified.
Kyle Larson is 11 points ahead of Hamlin in third and is also at risk of elimination despite winning more than double the amount of races as the next highest-winning driver in 2024.
READ MORE: Tyler Reddick outlines his ‘huge advantage’ over NASCAR playoff rivals heading into Martinsville
With such a tight margin between him and elimination and fierce competition that surrounds him, Hamlin will need to fight for the win at Martinsville, or at the very least, try to keep his rivals behind him and score enough points to make the final four.
Hamlin’s form is against him with his struggles in the playoffs so far, and with Martinsville presented another tough test, the pressure will be on the JGR driver to keep his car on the track and give him that opportunity to reach the Championship Race.