Denny Hamlin has been in the NASCAR Cup Series so long all the starts sometimes blend together.
It’s not a joke; it’s true! Just listen to the driver himself after winning for the third time in the first 11 races this season on Sunday (April 28) at Dover Motor Speedway.
“I’ve had so many years, it’s hard for me,” Hamlin said when asked how 2024 stands out. “I’m sure ones have slipped past that you don’t pay attention to. I think we’ve led in every race this year, and not by accident or pit cycles. We legit led.
“Yeah, I would say this is the most competitive.”
That’s a casual answer turned into a major statement; after all, Hamlin’s in his 19th full-time season running Cup. At age 43, he’s…
- Won three or more races eight times
- Qualified for the postseason 17 times
- Made four Championship 4 appearances
- Finished as the 2010 Championship Runner-Up
That’s one heck of a track record. So to say right now, more than any time in history, is the most competitive of Hamlin’s career? That feels like we should take a closer look.
On paper, Hamlin’s had a few career-defining years. Let’s start with 2010. It was the season he won a career-best eight times, going mano-e-mano with Jimmie Johnson during the final 10 races for the championship. (Hamlin ultimately fell short after crashing in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway).
Then, there was 2021. Hamlin led the points for nearly the entire regular season, then won twice in the playoffs en route to the Championship 4. Hamlin scored a top-11 finish in the first eight races of that postseason, leading 578 laps and collecting a career-high 1,502 laps led overall.
Hamlin Through 11 Races
| Year | Starts | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Laps Led | Avg. Finish |
| 2010 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 344 | 13.9 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 744 | 7.5 |
| 2024 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 535 | 14.2 |
Recency bias, anyone?
Both 2010 and 2021 were stronger for Hamlin in different ways. His season three years ago, the last with the Gen-6, was one of the most consistent in modern history. Hamlin wound up just four laps short of completing every possible lap (just think about that for a second), posting 34 lead-lap results and a career-best average finish of 8.4.
2024 feels more reminiscent of 2010 for Hamlin, a boom-or-bust pattern where front-running speed didn’t always make it to the finish line. Hamlin has taken chances this year, like crashing hard while fighting for the lead late at Texas Motor Speedway. He also got wrecked at…
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