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Denny Hamlin recently discussed the fierce competition among the eight Cup Series drivers who have advanced to the next round of the 2024 playoffs. The 43-year-old driver, among the eight, is en route to his maiden Cup Series championship title.
As we move ahead for the first playoff Round of 8 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron are the four drivers above the playoff cutline. While Ryan Blaney, Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Joey Logano are in the playoff bubble.
Reflecting on the eight qualified drivers for the next round, Joe Gibbs Racing's Hamlin deems the competition tight as we inch closer to the Championship 4 race at Phoenix.
In a recent episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, the three-time Daytona 500 winner Hamlin questioned the uncertainty of the winner. He asserted these eight remaining playoff drivers to be the best assembled. He said:
"What do you want to see? Do you want to see the best four? Like you really don't know who's going to win? Or do you want to see an A driver and a B and a C and a D?"
Furthermore, Hamlin considered Hendrick Motorsports driver Larson a level above them at this stage and claimed the battle between the remaining seven drivers would be tough.
"But I'm saying this is maybe the best eight ever assembled as far as like how even it is. You could put Larson on an island and tell him you could say that, okay, there, there are a step above but two through eight is fire and it's going to be close," Hamlin added.
As things stand, Larson has a 33-point cushion above the playoff cutline. Meanwhile, the #11 Toyota driver Hamlin is placed in sixth place and is eight points below the playoff line.
"Glad these six tracks are over with": Denny Hamlin expresses relief after getting done with road courses and superspeedway
In a recent conversation, Denny Hamlin addressed the addition of road courses to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule and the superspeedway which impacts his driving style. Hamlin also mentioned that he is accustomed to running on the traditional ovals.
Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the Florida native said:
"Yeah, I mean, certainly glad these six tracks are over with. You know, when I started wanting to be a NASCAR driver a long, long time ago, it was only like one road course on the schedule. And so, you know, oval track racing is what I grew up doing. And, you know, it was my specialty. And, you know, as these playoffs start sort of evolved in NASCAR to be, you know, a little bit more, you know, road course racing, superspeedway, and then, you know, the traditional ovals, I'm thinking, well, and this is not good for my style of driving."
Despite having a prolific NASCAR career, the 54 Cup Series winner has set his eyes on his maiden Cup Series championship title.
Hamlin and the team will be in action for the South Point 400 race next at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 20.
